v, 


PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Duke   University 
Kare  books 

I 


'IIlU. 


'YCES 


J1M.:/f//  f  ■■  .  %A)  ■/-  r/W/r  •>/'  <<>r,hi/> 


HISTORY 

m 

OF 

ALL  RELIGIONS, 

WITH    EXPLANATIONS    OF    THE 

DOCTRINES  AND  ORDER  OF  WORSHIP, 

AS  HELD  AND  PRACTISED  BY  ALL  THE  DENOMINATIONS  OF 

PROFESSING  CHRISTIANS  ; 

COMPREHENDING  A  SERIES  OF  RESEARCHES, 

EXPLANATORY    OF    THE 

OPINIONS,  CUSTOMS  AND  REPRESENTATIVE 
WORSHIP  IN  THE  CHURCHES, 

WHICH    HAVE    BEEN    ESTABLISHED    FROM   THE  BEGINNING 

OF    TIME    TO    THE    COMMENCEMENT    OF    THE 

CHRISTIAN    DISPENSATION,    THE 

ACCOMPLISHMENT  OF  THE  PROPHECIES 

OF    THE 

PERSON  OF  CHRIST  ; 

INCONTROVERTIBLY  PROVING  BY  THE  POSITIVE  DECLARATI"  5  - 
OF    THE    PROPHETS,    THAT    HE    IS 

TM  TTfcUE  MESSIAH. 


BY  JOHN  BELLAMY, 

Author  of  the  Ophion,  and  Biblical  Criticisms  in  the 
Classical  Journal. 


FIRST    AMERICAN    EDITION. 


BOSTON  : 

"CBLISHED    BY    CHARLES    EWER,     NO.    51    CORNHILL. 

1820. 


burrill  &  hersey.... Printers, 
Haverhill,  Mass. 


University  Library    CT 

fiiok 

35>| 


PREFACE. 


Histories  of  the  different  professions  of 
religion  have  been  written  by  eminent  and 
learned  men  in  all  civilized  nations  ;  therefore, 
a  publication  of  this  nature  may  be  deemed,  by 
some,  unnecessary.  A  consideration  of  this 
sort  would  certainly  have  had  its  due  weight 
with  me,  had  I  not  found  that,  though  in  many 
instances  the  authors  have  succeeded,  yet  in  oth- 
ers, and  those  very  important,  they  have  been 
altogether  defective.  No  writer  has  attempted 
to  give  us  any  information  respecting  those  cir- 
cumstances and  things,  which  took  place  at  a 
more  remote  date,  than  that  of  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians ;    or  concerning  the  religions  of  the  first 


368083 


IV 

nations  after  the  flood  ;  or  the  various  states 
and  descent  of  all  the  patriarchal  churches  from 
Adam  to  that  period. 

It  does  not  appear  to  me.  that  any  writer 
can  be  justified  in  presuming  to  call  on  the  at- 
tention of  the  reader,  unless  he  has  something 
hitherto  undiscovered  to  lay  before  him.  I 
trust  it  will  be  found  by  the  learned  and  the  in- 
telligent reader,  that  I  have  not  merited  any  im- 
putation of  this  nature,  for  I  should  not  feel 
myself  excused  in  sending  the  following  sheets 
to  the  press,  if  they  did  not  contain  a  variety 
of  information,  which  has  not  been  made  known 
by  any  writer,  and  which  1  consider  a  duty  to 
lay  before  the  public,  I  have  avoided  an  ap- 
peal to  opinion  as  conclusive,  but  have  in  these 
researches,  confirmed  what  is  introduced,  from 
the  Bible.  Some  may  suppose,  that  we  ought 
not  to  carry  our  inquiries,  respecting  these 
rhinos,  bevond  the  time  of  the  most  remote  Pa- 
gan  antiquity.  In  such  case,  we  must  stop  at  a 
iater  date,  than  that  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  ; 
ibis  would  be  shutting  up  the  fountain  of  knowl- 
edge in  the  Egyptian  labyrinth,  where  every 
thing  respecting  the  first  people,  and  their  de- 
g<  endants  to  the  flood,  would  be  wrapt  in  impen* 


etrable  darkness.  Here  profane  history  gives  us 
no  light ;  all  is  uncertainty  and  conjecture  ; 
therefore,  we  are  necessarily  driven  to  the  sa- 
cred pages  of  the  Bible,  which  not  only  point 
out  the  origin  of  the  most  ancient  nations,  but 
lead  us  to  the  beginning  of  time,  when  the  Al- 
mighty gave  the  first  dispensation  to  man. 

We  must,  however,  acknowledge  our  grat- 
itude to  those  writers,  who  have  laboured  to 
give  information  respecting  the  idolatrous  wor- 
ship of  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan,  and  the  sur- 
rounding nations,  before  the  Hebrews  came  out 
of  Egypt ;  but  had  they  attended  to  the  mean- 
ing of  those  words,  which  so  frequently  occur, 
the  Hebrew  pronunciation  of  which  is  constant- 
ly retained  in  the  English,  and  also  in  all  the 
European  Bibles,  much  information  would  at 
this  day  have  been  before  the  world. 

In  translating  the  significative  nomenclature 
of  the  Hebrew,  I  trust  I  have  shown,  that  in 
their  original  institution,  they  were  not  contra- 
ry to  divine  order,  but  were  used  by  the  most 
ancient  people  as  indices  pointing  to  knowl- 
edge in  every  page  of  the  book  of  nature.  A 
knowledge  given  to  the  primeval  people,  who 
gave  names  to  creatures  and  things,  expressive 


368083 


VI 

of  their  natures,  a  wonderful  singularity  fouud 
only  in  the  Hebrew  language.  This  knowl- 
edge was  not  extinct  in  the  time  of  the  proph- 
ets, who  were  shown,  that  clean  and  unclean 
beasts  of  all  kinds,  signified  the  good  and  evil 
affections  of  the  Jews.  1  have  also  shown  how 
lliese  things,  in  their  origin,  innocently  signifi- 
cative and  instructive,  were  in  process  of  time, 
through  the  pride,  ignorance  and  sensuality  of 
man,  worshipped  as  idols. 

With  regard  to  the  professions  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  I  have  abandoned  the  customary 
method  of  copying.  Whoever  will  be  at  the 
trouble  of  reading  different  writers  on  this  sub- 
ject, will  find,  that  one  writer  of  a  particular 
persuasion,  has,  with  a  mild  kind  of  bigotry, 
from  an  attachment  to  his  own  sect,  elaborately 
recommended  his  own  view.  I  have  avoided 
every  thing  of  this  nature,  being  well  assured 
from  the  sacred  writings,  that  true  religion  con- 
sists neither  in  doctrines,  nor  opinions,  but  in 
uprightness  of  heart. 

In  presuming  to  speak  of  the  state  in  Par- 
adise, I  have  not  advanced  any  new  theory, 
but  have  confirmed  those  views,  consistently 
with  what  is  said  by  the  inspired  penman  on 


Vll 


that  subject.  It  must  be  obvious,  that  if  any 
information  can  be  obtained  respecting  this 
state,  we  must  necessarily  have  it  from  the  an- 
cient part  of  the  Bible.  I  have  also  from  the 
same  authority  given  proofs  concerning  the  na- 
ture of  the  first  dispensation,  which  God  gave 
to  man  after  the  fall.  For  it  has  frequently 
occurred  to  me,  when  reading  that  part  of  the 
sacred  writings  where  the  first  patriarchs  are 
recorded,  that  the  words  signifying  the  names 
of  the  men,  had  also  another  meaning  and  ap- 
plication, according  to  the  custom  of  the  He- 
brews ;  and  in  this  instance  I  have  found  them 
to  be  applied  also  to  signify  the  state  or  quali- 
ty of  the  church,  as  well  as  the  name  of  the 
man,  when  each  patriarch  succeeded  to  the  su- 
preme government,  until  the  church  by  succes- 
sive states  descended,  and  finally  was  extinct 
in  the  time  of  Noah,  when  God  gave  a  new 
dispensation  to  him. 

This,  T  trust,  will  give  much  satisfaction  to 
the  biblical  reader,  as  it  shows,  with  what  wis- 
dom and  effect  these  most  ancient  people  were 
directed  under  that  dispensation,  to  the  existing 
state  of  spiritual  things.  This  served  as  a  per- 
petual monitor  to  remind  them  concerning  their 


Vlll 


departure  from  the  purity  of  the  life  and  doc- 
trines of  the  church,  as  it  was  established  by 
righteous  Seth,  and  the  danger  into  which  they 
were  plunging  themselves  by  disobeying  the 
divine  commands.  I  have  therefore  followed 
the  order  of  the  sacred  history,  from  Adam  to 
the  end  of  the  patriarchal  churches,  introducing 
those  nations  in  the  order  of  succession  from 
the  eldest  sons,  which  appears  to  have  been 
consistent  with  the  view  of  the  inspired  writer. 
So  that,  between  the  first  order  of  patriarchs, 
from  Seth  to  Noah,  the  nations  descending 
from  Japhet  and  Ham  are  introduced,  before 
the  second  order  of  patriarchs  from  Noah  to 
Abraham. 

It  appeared  proper  to  give  some  informa- 
tion respecting  the  worship  of  those  nations 
whicli  descended  from  Japhet  and  Ham,  which 
1  have  done  by  consulting  the  best  authors  ;  in 
addition  to  which,  I  have  endeavoured  to  de- 
velope  the  peculiar  nature  of  their  worship,  by 
translating  the  names  of  their  idols  ;  and  by 
so  doing,  it  has  led  me  to  form  a  rational  con- 
clusion concerning  the  application  of  these 
words  to  the  things,  to  which  they  were  evi- 
dently applied  in  their  origin. 


IX 


Tn  addition,  I  have  been  induced  to  write  a 
small  Treatise  ;  the  circumstance  that  induced 
me  to  write  it  was  the  following.  A  gentle- 
man called  on  me,  and  informed  rac,  that  a  pre- 
mium was  offered  by  the  London  Society  for 
Promoting  Christianity  among  the  Jews,  for 
the  best  refutation  of  David  Levi's  Disserta- 
tions on  the  Prophecies,  which  are  written 
in  three  large  volumes,  octavo.  I  had  these 
books  by  me,  and  was  well  aware  of  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  such  an  answer.  None  of 
our  learned  men,  whose  business  it  was,  hav- 
ing attempted  to  meet  this  Goliath  of  the  Jews, 
whose  arguments  appeared  to  many  as  conclu- 
sive against  the  Christian  religion,  1  waited 
on  a  respectable  gentleman  of  that  society,  and 
was  informed  by  him,  that  they  wished  to  have 
a  complete  refutation  of  the  above  mentioned 
Dissertations  on  the  Prophecies,  not  only  to 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  Jews  in  England,  but 
of  those  of  the  different  nations  of  Europe  also. 
As  this  difficult  task  of  literally  refuting 
what  has  been  advanced  by  this  bold  writer, 
seemed  to  rest  here,  I  began  to  frame  an  an- 
swer in  support  of  our  religion  against  this  for 
midable  production,  which  is  now  received  bj 


the  Jews  as  the  pillar  of  Judaism  ;  and  1  have 
concluded  to  make  a  separate  treatise  of  it  and 
annex  it  to  this  work. 

Being  convinced  of  the  laudable  and  be- 
nevolent intentions  of  this  respectable  society, 
1  have  been  particular  in  meeting  the  objec- 
tions of  this  writer,  which  are  properly  not 
his,  but  collected  from  the  writings  of  their 
modern  rabbies.  1  have,  I  hope,  given  a 
ylain,  clear  and  conclusive  refutation  of  those 
objections,  by  which  the  Christian  church  has 
so  often  been  disturbed,  and  which  have  in- 
duced this  Jewish  writer  exultingly  to  conclude 
each  dissertation  by  saying  :  "  Now  as  it  is 
clear,  that  none  of  those  things  were  accom- 
plished at  their  return  from  Babylon,  nor  yet 
in  the  person  of  Jesus  ;  neither  can  they 
be  explained  according  to  the  spiritualizing 
scheme  of  the  Christians  :  whence  it  is  mani- 
fest, that  they  remain  to  be  fulfilled  at  the  com- 
ing of  the  true  Messiah."  Levi,  Dis.  vol.  2. 
p.  229. 


XI 


***  I  must  not  omit  to  say,  that  for  the  sake  of  accu- 
racy and  precision,  I  have  submitted  the  various  arti- 
cles to  the  inspection  and  approval  of  the  leading  per- 
sons of  each  sect ;  the  statements,  therefore,  of  their 
doctrine,  as  well  as  the  order  of  their  communion, 
have  been  sanctioned  and  confirmed. 


TO  THE  SECOND  LONDON  EDITION. 


The  ftrst  edition  of  this  ^woyIl 
Tiaving  l>een  sold  in  the  s\*ace  of  a 
fe^w  months,  lias  encouraged  the  «!u- 
thov  to  \rrint  the  second  •,  tlie  Ya\*id 
sale  l>eing  the  l>est  \vroof ,  that  the 
\mblic  liave  l>een  gratified  ^with  the 
i\e>N  matter,  ^wliich  is  communicat- 
ed Ty^  a  strict  attention  to  the  sa- 
cked language. 

iNLanj  of  t\\e  articles  liaye  again 
l>een  submitted  to  the  inspection  of 
those,  ^who  are  the  most  intelligent 
teachexs  among  the  different  denom- 


xiv  Advertisement. 

inations  of  Christians  •,  and  X  need 
only  say,  tbat  they  liaye  acknowl- 
edged tl\e  definitions  of  the  doctrines 
to  be  perfectly  consistent  witl\  their 
yiews. 

In  this  edition,  the  Author  has 
given  three  sheets  of  matter  move 
than  is  contained  in  tlie  first  •,  many 
tilings  having  occurred  to  l\im  of  a 
most  important  nature,  altogether 
new  in  TSiblical  "Literature,  "but  such 
as  will  impress  tiie  mind  with  five 
sanctity  of  t\\e  original  •,  and  wliich 
indeed  is  absolutely  necessary  to  l>e 
"kno wnlrj  all  Christians. 


CONTENTS. 


A  Page 

ABEL,  nature  of  his  offering  -                         33 

Abraham,  covenant  with  72 

Abraham,  an  eastern  king       -  -                        72 

,  the  Indian  Brahma  -                 -              132 

Adamic  church        -                  -  -                         29 

Adramelek,  meaning  of  52 
Africa,  peopled  by  the  descendants  of  Japhet      -       137 

Africans,  ancient              -  -                 -              137 

,  modern                     -  -                      140 

Amalekites  45 

America,  North       -  142 

,  South                 -  -                               143 

Ammonites                -  44 

Anabaptists                        -  -                 -             179 

Anamelek,  meaning  of  52 

Antediluvians,  years  of  the  -                 -               66 

Anthropomorphites                   -  -                      157 

Antinomians                      -  -                 -             184 

Antitrinitarians         -                 -  -                      184 

Arabians,  ancient              ...  256 


XVI  CONTENTS. 


,  modern  -                                                       257 

Aram,  meaning  of  -                 -                 -             61 

Arians        -  -                 -                 -                    187 

Armenians,  ancient  -                 -                 -          191 

,  modern  -                 -                 -                   192 

Ashma,  meaning  of  -                             52 

Ashur          -  60 

Assyrians             -  -                 -                            50 

Vtheists       -  -                 -                 -                 244 


B 

Baal-Peor,  meaning  of         -  -                          44 

JBaal-Zebub,  meaning  of  -                 -                  47 

Babel                      -                 -  -                          53 

Babylonians  52 

Baptists                   -                 -  -                 -      177 

,  Particular  and  general  -                179 

,  Paedo,             -  -                 -               180 

,  Ana                          -  -                         179 

,  Seventh  day  -                 -                179 

Baxterians           -                 -  -                          216 

Bel  and  the  Dragon  explained  -                   78 

Ben-hadad            -                 -  -                 -           50 

Berith           -  95 
Birthright  of  Esau,  and  blessing  of  Jacob,  explained     88 

Brahmans             -               -  -               -      127 

C 

Caduceus  of  Mercury,  origin  and  explanation  of  81 

Cain,  nature  of  his  offering  -                 -                29 

Cain,  rejection  of  his  offering  -                         30 

Calvinists       -                 -  -                 -               184 

Canaan,  ancientlv  called  India  -                       13? 


CONTENTS.  XVli 

Canaanites  *                4d 

Caphtorim,  meaning  of                           -  138 

Carpocratians                 -                 -  -               155 

Cerinthians             -                 -                 -  156 

Chinese,  ancient             -                 -  -               115 

,  descended  from  Joktan            -  116 

,  modern            -                 -  -              117 

China,  three  sects  of  religious  professors  in  -        120 

,  Fo                      ...  121 

,  Confucius                  -                 -  120 

,  Lao-kiun           -                 -  -               124 

,  Tartary                      -                 -  -     125 

Christ,  the  true  Messiah                  -             .  -              264 

,  a  priest  after  the  order  of  Melchizedeck, 

explained  77 

Christian  religion                       -                 -  147 

,  different  sects  of                -  150 

Christian  Syrian  church  in  India  -  174 
Constellations  known  to  the  Antediluvians  -  27 
Cupid  and  Psyche,  fable  of,  taken  from  the  Bible  103 
Cybele  -  -  -  55 
,  taken  from  the  Bible  55 

D 

Dagon,  meaning  of                                 -  -47 

Daniel  cast  into  the  den  of  lions — cause  of  -                 78 

Deists                     -                 -                 .  -       251 

Destructionists               -                 -  -               218 

Diluvians,  Post,  application  of  the  years  of  -        67 

Dissenters      -                 -                 -  -               215 

,  from  the  kirk  of  Scotland  -     228 

Dunkers                          -  226 
2* 


KVni  CONTEXTS 


Earth,  scriptural  application  of               -  Gb 

,  division  of,  explained  -               66 

Eber,  meaning  of                      -                 -  64 

Egypt,  time  of  the  Hebrews  sojourning  in  91 

,  peopled  by  the  descendants  of  Mitzraim        138 

Egyptian  Mythology,  taken  from  the  Bible  -  40 
Egyptians,  ancient  -  40 
Enthusiasts  -  -  236 
,  Thomas  of  Munster                -  238 


-,  Herman,  the  Cobler  -            239 

-,  David  George       -  -                    239 

-,  John  Matthias                 -  -           238 

— ,  John  of  Leyden  -                   238 

-,  Theodore  of  Amsterdam  -           239 

—,  Wilhelmina  of  Bohemia  -                   242 

— .  Joanna  Southcott             -  -          240 


F 

Familiar  spirit,  in  Hebrew,  a  serpent            -  77 

G 

Gnostics          -                 -                 .  150 

Greek  church         -                 -                 -  158 

Grecians  93 

,  originally  worshippers  of  the  true  God  93 

,  their  12  Gods  taken  from  scripture         -       94 

H 

Ham.  called  Jupiter  Ammon            -  97 

,  meaning  of     -                 -                 -  97 

Heathen  gods,  names  of,  taken  from  the  Bible       -      94 
.  actions  of  the  same  as  recorded  in  the  Bible  95 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

Hebrew  language,  singular  nature  of  -                28 

Hugonots                -                 -     ■  -                       232 

Human  sacrifices  in  India  -                 -               136 

Hutchinsonians       -                 -  -                      221 

I 

Idolatry,  introduced  by  Ham  40 

,  its  origin                     -  53 

Idols  worshipped  in  India  -                 -              136 

Immolation  of  women  in  India  -                       133 

r-,  of  children  -                 -              134 

Independents           -                  -  -                       194 

Indian  nations  of  the  east  -                 -              126 

Indians,  descended  from  Joktan  -                      131 
Isaac,  the  patriarch         - 


o  J 


Jacob,  the  patriarch                 -  -                       91 

,  eating  venison  explained       -  85 

Jephtha's  daughter  not  sacrificed  -                    113 

Jews                  -  257 

Jumpers                     -  230 

Jupiter  Olympus  taken  from  the  Bible  -           107 

Jupiter,  priests  of,  twelve         -  -                   114 

K 

Kirk  of  Scotland             -                 -  227 

Knowledge  of  all  cresftures  given  to  Adam  -         27 


Lama,  Grand  -  -  -  118 

Levites  ...  263 

Lutherans  -  -  -  181 


XX  CONTENTS. 

M 

Mahometanism  -  -  -  144 
Materialists  -  -  222 
Melchizedeck,  meaning  of  and  application  -  73 
Methodists  -  -  -  204 
,  new        -  209 


Millenarians                      -                 -  219 

Moabites  and  Midianites           -  44 

Mogul  and  Independent  Tartary  -              126 

Moloch                      -                 -  45 

Moravians         -                 -                 -  182 

Muggletonians           -  243 

Mystery  of  the  number  666  Rev.  13.  8.  -            170 

Mystics                      ...  223 

Mythology,  heathen          -                 -  40 

N 

Names  of  the  books  of  the  Bible,  with  their  mean- 
ings according  to  the  Hebrew  -           302 

,  of  the  Patriarchs                   -  303 

,  of  the  Judges               -  -                304 

,  of  the  kings  of  Judah           -  304 

,  of  the  kings  of  Israel     -  -              305 

,  and  Titles  given  to  Jesus  Christ         -        306 

,  given  to  the  church  of  God  -              310 

Nazarites                   -  263 

Nebuchadnezzar              -  54 

Nebhaz                      -                 -  v          52 

Necessitarians                   -                 -  -           217 

Neptune,  origin  of  96 

Nergal          -  52 

New  Sect  in  America               -  -                    231 

Nicholaitans                       -                 -  154 

Nisrock                    -               -  -                    51 


CONTENTS.  XXI 

Nod,  land  of,  explained  -  -  31 
Numbers,  doctrine  of  -  -  295 
,  Adam,  Cain,  Abel,  Seth,  Noah,  Shem, 

Ham,  Japhet  -  -  297 
,  Abraham  to  Amram,  Moses  to  the  return 

from  the  Captivity  -  -  298 
,  Adam  lived  to  the  tenth  generation. 

Noah  lived  to  the  tenth  generation  299 

,  Time,  times  and  half  a  time           -  299 

,  Three  hundred  and  ninety                  -  299 

,  Forty,  number  of          -                 -  299 

, seven     -                              -                 -  299 

,  seventh          -                 -                 -  300 

,  four        -                               -                 -  300 

,  third  300 

,  two         -                              -  301 

,  one                  ...  301 


Paedobaptists     -                 -  -                             180 

Pagan,  meaning  of                    -  -                    140 

Paganism           -                  -  -                  -           140 

,  American     -                 -  -                   141 

,  European             -  -                            142 

Paradise,  state  in                         -  -                     28 

Patriarch  Isaac                    -  -                              83 

,  Jacob             -                 -  -                     91 

Patriarchal  churches,  the  first  -                 -           36 

,  origin  of  the  names  of  -                    36 

! ,  ages  of                   -  -                 -           38 

,  the  second  order  of       -  -                   62 

,  names  and  ages  of  the  second  order         -        71 

,  third  order  92 

Patripassian*        -                 -  -                  -       190 


XXil  CONTENTS. 

Peleg,  meaning  of       -                 -  -                  65 

Peleg,  .application  of           -  -                 -         63 

Persian  nation,  antiquity  of  the  58 

Persians  and  Medes               -  -                           57 

,  from  whom  descended  58 

Persians,  modern                   -  -                           59 

,  worship  of  the  59 

Pharisees               -                 -  -                        261 

Philistians                       -  47 

Precepts  seven,  given  to  Noah  -                          62 

Presbyterians                 -                 -  -                186 

Presence  of  the  Lord  explained  -                          31 

Protestant  Church        -  232 

Puritans                -                 -  -                        194 

Q 

Quakers        -                -                -  -              195 

R 

Religion,  pure  -  25 
Religions,  history  of  28 
Rimmon,  meaning  of  -  -  49 
Romans,  ancient  -  -  -  HI 
Roman  Catholic  -  -  -  161 
,  Sacraments       -                -  -              162- 


Sabatarians              -                 -                 -  216 

Sabellians        -                  -                  -                  -  157 

Sacrament,  an  ancient  institution  before  Christ  -       76 

Sadducees        -                 -                 -                 -  262 

Salem,  name  of  Jerusalem  in  the  time  of  Noah  -      73 

Sandemanians            -  225 


CONTENTS.  XXlii 

Scribes               -  262 

Scripture,  and  Divine  Revelation  -                    252 

Serpent,  worship  of           -                 -  77 

Shakers                       ...  229 

Shem,  meaning  of                                 -  63 

Socinians                      -                 -  -                   188 

Sublapsarians                        -            *     -  194 

Succoth-benoth            -  52 

Supralapsarians                    -                 -  193 

Swedenborgians,  or  trini-unitarians  -                  213 

Syrians                 -                 -                 -  49 


Targums              -                 -                 -  290 

Tartary                          -                 -  -                 125 

Tartak,  meaning  of              -                 -  52 

Telescope  known  to  the  Antediluvians  -                  48 

Theophilanthropists              -  250 

Trinitarians                   -                 -  -                 191 

Trojans                 -                 -                 -  54 

,  their  religion  from  the  Hebrews  -             54 

Troy,  time  of  56 

U 

Unitarians                 -                 -  -                     189 
,  Arian               -                 -  187 


,  Sabellian  -  -  190 

,  Socinian  -  -  188 

Universalists  -  224 


W 

Whitneldites  -  210 

Wine,  used  as  a  type         -  -  76 


HISTORY 


aiili    H^IaIGIOXS 


"W  e  are  informed  in  the  sacred  scriptures,  that  pure 
religion  does  not  consist  in  a  set  of  notions  or  opinions, 
but  that  it  is  the  working  of  divine  truth  on  the  heart  j 
agreeably  to  these  words,  "  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.'* 
But  some  may  ask,  how  is  it  possible  to  love  the  Lord  our 
God  with  all  the  heart,  and  our  neighbours  as  ourselves, 
when  the  love  of  self  is  so  closely  united  to  our  fallen  na- 
ture?*. The  Apostle  has  shown  that  it  is  possible  for  fal- 
len nature  to  be  restored,  James  1.  27.  "Pure  religion 
nnd  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father,  is  this  :  to  visit 
the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and  to  keep 
himself  unspotted  from  the  world." 

Now  whoever  answers  this  description,  most  certain- 
ly loves  his  neighbour  as  himself;  for  though  it  be  pos- 
sible to  visit  the  fatherless  and  the  widow  in  their  afflic- 
tion, without  possessing  the  least  pure  religion  ;  yet  if, 
at  the  same  time,  such  a  visitor  keeps  himself  unspotted 


26  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

from  the  world,  he  does  unto  others  as  he  would  they  should 
do'unto  him.  His  worldly  transactions  are  governed  by  a 
principle  of  uprightness ;  and  he  is  in  possession  of  every 
virtue,  according  to  the  declaration  of  the  prophet,  that 
God  has  required  of  man.  Micah  vi.  3.  "  And  what  hath 
the  Lord  required  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love 
mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God."  Religion  be- 
ing a  system  of  divine  faith  in  God,  and  of  obedience  to  his 
commands-,  it  must  be  interesting  to  every  individual  to 
be  acquainted  with  the  origin  and  descent  of  the  first  dis- 
pensation, which  God  gave  to  man. 

All,  who  have  hitherto  attempted  to  give  an  account 
of  the  origin  and  descent  of  ancient  religions,  have  begun 
only  with  the  Egyptians.  Before  this  period,  every  thing 
of  importance  respecting  the  primeval  people  seems  to 
have  been  neglected,  as  if  no  information  concerning 
them  could  possibly  be  gained.  Their  learning,  which 
must  have  been  profound  ;  their  arts,  sciences,  manners, 
customs,  and  usages,  have  been  altogether  unnoticed,  as 
if  they  had  been  buried  in  oblivion  with  the  waters  of  the 
deluge. 

The  reason,  however,  is  plain.  Profane  historians 
have  preserved  some  remains  of  the  vestiges  of  antiqui- 
ty ;  to  them  we  are  so  far  indebted  for  much  information 
concerning  the  customs  of  the  second  race  of  mej?  ;  or 
from  the  time  of  Mitsraim,  the  grandson  of  Ham,  who  set- 
tled in  Egypt,  which  country,  in  the  original  Hebrew,  is 
called  by  his  name. 

Here  they  have  stopped  ;  here  was  the  great  barrier 
that  divided  the  two  worlds  ;  every  thing  beyond  this  pe- 
riod has  been  wrapped  in  darkness  and  uncertainty.  But 
had  they  only  searched  the  ancient  scriptures  attentive- 
ly, which  reach  beyond  the  hoary  headed  ages  of  the 
most  remote  profane  antiquity  ;  had  they  attended  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-.  n 

names  of  persons,  places,  and  things,  which  are  there  in- 
troduced, the  Hebrew  pronunciation  of  which  has  been 
retained  in  all  the  European  translations,  instead  of  the 
true  rendering,  much  information,  at  this  da}',  would  have 
been  before  the  public  concerning  that  most  ancient  peo- 
ple. 

That  much  interesting  intelligence  might  have  been 
communicated  relative  to  the  customs  of  the  Antediluvi- 
an*, by  attending  to  the  true  meaning  of  words,  instead 
of  the  literal  rendering,  will  appear  in  the  following  pa- 
ges. The  ancient  Egyptians  have  long  had  the  honor  of 
•he  invention  of  the  constellations  ;  but  it  is  obvious, 
when  we  attend  to  the  above  mentioned  particulars,  that 
they  were  handed  down  to  them  from  this  scientific  peo- 
ple, among  whom  the  serpent,  one  of  the  most  ancient 
symbols,  had  a  place  in  the  celestial  sphere.  These 
things  will  not  only  appear  from  the  Hebrew  words,  but 
also  from  this  consideration,  that  when  God  had  finished 
his  work,  he  did  not  leave  man  in  ignorance,  but  gave 
him  a  complete  knowledge  of  the  whole  creation,  which 
knowledge  he  had  intuitively  ;  for  such  is  the  meaning  of 
the  passage  concerning  the  creatures,  "  and  God  brought 
them  unto  Adam  to  see  what  he  would  call  them  :  and 
whatsoever  Adam  called  every  living  creature,  that  was 
the  name  thereof." 

But  it  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  object  I  have  in 
view,  to  enter  into  an  investigation  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  people  before  the  flood.  My  present  business  is  to 
ascertain,  as  nearly  as  possible,  the  different  professions  of 
religion  that  hove  appeared  in  the  world  from  the  beginning 
of  time  until  the  present  day.  I  shall  therefore  proceed  to 
gather  as  much  information  concerning  this  matter  as  will 
be  necessary,  from  the  only  history  now  extant,  which 


28  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


reaches  to  those  ages,  and  which,  on  this  account,  is  ca- 
pable of  giving  certain  knowledge  on  these  subjects. 

To  the  ancient  part  of  the  Bible,  then,  we  must  of 
necessity  turn  our  attention,  and  here  we  shall  find  an 
ample  field  of  information  concerning  the  order  and  pol- 
icy of  the  most  perfect  of  all  governments  that  have  yet 
existed  on  earth  ;  and  of  the  regular  descent  of  the  first 
dispensation  and  first  church,  from  Adam,  to  the  time  of 
the  last  of  the  Antediluvian  patriarchs,  Noah. 

In  endeavouring  to  give  a  concise   history  of  all  the 
professions  of  religion,  which  have  been  handed  down  to 
us,  Ave   are   naturally  carried  back  to  the  beginning  of 
time,  when  God  gave  to  man  the  first  religion  on  record, 
which  is  contained  in  the   first  chapter  of  the  book  of 
Genesis.     This  being,  through  the  providence  of  God- 
in  the  hand  of  every  man,  who  is  happy  enough  to  be  a 
subject  of  the  British  empire,  it  may  be  clearly  seen  that 
the  unity  of  God,  and  the  trinity  in  unity  was  the  grand 
doctrine  which  was  first  given  to  man.     The  unity  of  God 
is  undeniably  asserted  in  the  first  verse  of  the  book  of 
Genesis,  viz.  "  In  the  beginning,  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth,"  and  as  a  proof  of  man's  obedience,  he  was 
not  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil. 
This  was  the  first  dispensation,  the  first  religion, 
the  religion  of  innocence,  comprehending  the  most  pro- 
found wisdom :  concerning  which,  it  perhaps  will  be  dif- 
ficult to  form  an  adequate  idea.     What  conception  can  we 
have  of  the  wisdom  of  the  first  man,  when  we  are  told 
that  the  creatures  were  brought  to  him,  "  and  that  what- 
soever he  called  every  living  creature,  that  was  the  name 
thereof?"     Now  the  names  of  the  creatures,  in  Hebrew, 
indicate  their  natures  ;   but  how  wonderful  must  that 
knowledge  have  been  !  how  astonishing  that  perception  ! 
which  enabled  Adam  to  ascertain  the  natures  of  the  crea- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  29 

tures,  and  to  give  them  names  descriptive  of  their  most 
predominate  or  ruling  propensities  !  Until,  therefore, 
we  can  form  an  idea  of  that  state  in  which  man  was  cre- 
ated, when  the  imagination  and  thoughts  of  the  heart  were 
good  continually,  it  will  be  in  vain  to  attempt  to  define, 
with  any  degree  of  accuracy,  the  nature  and  operation 
of  that  wisdom  and  knowledge,  which  was  manifested  by 
the  first  man. 

How  long  man  continued  to  obey  the  commands  of 
God  in  this  happy  state,  is  not  for  us  to  determine.  Some 
have  attempted  to  fix  one  time,  some  another  ;  but  as  we 
have  not  the  least  authority,  by  which  we  can  determine 
this  matter  with  any  certainty,  every  assertion  of  the  kind 
amounts  only  to  supposition.  All,  therefore,  that  we  can 
possibly  assert  with  any  precision  respecting  this,  is,  that 
according  to  the  divine  testimony,  man  was  created  per- 
fect, and  fell  from  this  original  state  by  disobedience  to 
the  commands  of  God. 

But  no  sooner  had  man  fallen  from  that  state  of  hap- 
piness and  bliss,  than  God  provided  a  Redeemer  in  the 
promised  Messiah,  viz.  "  and  I  will  put  enmity  between 
thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed  : 
it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel." 
He  also  gave  to  man  a  new  dispensation,  and  established 
a  church  which  comprehended  sacrificial  worship,  and 
the  divine  communication  by  means  of  the  Cherubim,  viz. 
"  and  he  placed  at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  Cher- 
ubims,  and  a  flaming  sword,  which  turned  ever}'  way  to 
keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life.*'  This  was  the  form  of 
the  first  religion  given  to  man  ;  and  it  follows  in  the  his- 
tory, that  in  process  of  time,  "  Cain  brought  of  the  fruit 
of  the  ground  an  offering  unto  the  Lord." 

The  professions  of  religion  made  by  Cain  appears  to 
have  been  in  opposition  to  that  of  Adam  and  Abel ;  and. 
3* 


30  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

consequently,  contrary  to  that  which  was  established  by 
the  command  of  God.  For  Cain  brought  his  offering, 
which  was  not  accepted :  there  must,  therefore,  have 
been  some  reason  why  his  offering  was  rejected.  We 
may,  however,  collect  some  information  concerning  the 
particulars  of  this  extraordinary  departure  from  the  true 
worship  of  God  by  the  first-born  of  men.  Cain  was  told, 
"  it  thou  dost  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted  ?  and  if 
thou  dost  not  well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door."  From  which 
we  are  authorized  to  draw  this  conclusion,  that  sin  was 
the  cause,  viz.  tc  sin  lieth  at  the  door ;"  and  that  his  form 
of  worship  was  not  consistent  with  that,  which  God  had 
commanded  to  be  observed. 

The  offering  itself  was  acceptable  to  God,  but  it  was 
not  a  sacrifice  ;  he  brought  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth, 
(agreeably  to  the  occupation  of  his  life)  for  an  offering 
unto  the  Lord.  The  acceptance,  therefore,  or  non-ac- 
ceptance of  it  depended  on  the  state  of  his  mind,  and  on 
his  obedience  to  the  commands  of  God  :  and  by  attending 
to  the  following  particulars,  we  may  to  a  certainty  know 
what  was  the  real  cause  of  the  rejection  of  his  offering. 

It  is  clear  from  the  scriptures  that  tk?  first  order  of 
things,  as  instituted  after  the  fall,  continued  for  a  great 
length  of  time.  In  the  translation  it  is  said,  "  and  in  pro- 
cess of  time  it  came  to  pass,  that  Cain  brought  of  the 
fruit  of  the  ground  an  offering  unto  the  Lord :"  in  the 
original,  u  and  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  days  ;" 
which  is  a  customary  phrase  in  scripture  for  a  great 
length  of  time. 

After  the  disagreement  between  Cain  and  Abel,  it  is 
also  said  in  the  translation,  "  and  Cain  went  out  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Nod  on 
the  east  of  Eden."  This  passage  has  frequently  been 
brought  forward  by  deists,   to  show  the  inconsistency  of 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  31 

"K— ■  ZZ 

going  to  dwell  in  the  land  of  Nod.  I  shall  on  that  ac- 
count make  a  few  remarks,  to  silence  future  objections. 

I  have  before  observed,  that,  when  man  had  disobey- 
ed the  command  of  God,  and  the  communication  between 
him  and  his  Maker  was  cut  off,  as  is  plain  from  the  words, 
"  and  the  voice  of  God  went  forth  in  the  garden,"  God 
provided  a  medium  of  communication  by  the  Cherubim 
at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden.  A  dispensation,  an 
order  of  worship,  very  different  from  that,  when  the  in- 
tercourse was  immediate  between  God  and  man. 

The  word  Nod,  the  Hebrew  pronunciation  of  which 
has  been  retained  in  all  the  translations,  means  to  wander. 
In  this  passage  it  is  the  participle  active,  viz.  z.-anrferino; ; 
and  the  words  "  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,"'  though 
they  are  truly  rendered,  have  neither  meaning  nor  appli- 
cation :  for  in  the  sense  here  understood,  u  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,'1  must  have  been  in  the  land  of  Nod,  as  well 
as  in  the  place  where  Cain  had  hitherto  resided.  But  it 
is  evident  that  this  signified  the  place  where  the  Cheru- 
bim and  flaming  sword,  or  emblematical  sacred  fire,  were 
kept ;  that  it  was  more  immediately  "  in  the  presence  of 
the  Lord  ;"  because,  by  this  medium,  he  had  condescend- 
ed to  reveal  his  will  to  man.  These  divine  symbols  were 
handed  down  in  the  believing  line  of  Seth  to  the  He- 
brews, who  had  this  tabernacle  and  sacred  tire,  before 
that  which  was  erected  by  Moses. 

These  words,  "  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,"  con- 
vey to  us  this  information  :  that  Cain,  disapproving  of  the 
established  order  of  worship,  which  God  had  commanded 
to  be  observed,  by  approaching  him  who  dwelt  between 
the  Cherubim,  went  "  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and 
dwelt  in  the  land,  wandering  about  the  east  of  Eden,'"  or 
began  an  order  of  worship  contrary  to  that,  which  God 
had  commanded. 


m  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

It  is  reasonable  to  conclude  that  this  order  of  things, 
which  Cain  wished  to  establish,  was  that  without  sacri- 
fice, which  was  the  order  observed  in  the  paradisaical 
state,  where  no  sacrificial  worship  was  necessary.  Noth- 
ing do  we  read  of  there  but  the  fruits  of  the  ground;  and 
this  deviation  from  the  command  of  God  ;  this  attempt  to 
assume  the  state  of  things  as  ordained  in  paradise,  by  re- 
jecting sacrificial  worship,  appears  to  have  been  the  rea- 
son why  his  offering  was  rejected.  But  we  must  collect 
the  particulars  of  this  departure  from  the  worship  of  God, 
and  the  cause  of  the  rejection  of  his  offering,  from  the 
scriptures. 

When  man  had  disobeyed  the  divine  command,  and 
God  had  graciously  promised  to  send  a  Redeemer,  it  be- 
came necessary  that  a  medium  of  representation  should 
be  introduced,  by  which  man  might  look  through  the 
type  or  figure  by  faith,  to  the  promised  Redeemer :  and 
therefore  offerings  and  sacrifices  were  ordained  to  be  ob- 
served, as  representative  of  Christ  who  was  to  come. 
Noav  as  sacrifices,  as  well  as  offerings,  were  command- 
-ed ;  and  as  nothing  was  acceptable  to  God  without  a  sac- 
rifice ;  had  Cain  obeyed  the  divine  command  ;  had  he 
brought  his  sacrifice,  and  had  he  believed  in  the  prom- 
ise of  God  to  redeem  man  by  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
who  was  to  be  the  great  sacrifice,  as  all  the  sacrifices 
were  to  terminate  in  him  ;  his  offering  would  have  been 
accepted.  "  And  Abel  also  brought  of  the  firstlings  of 
his  flock,  and  of  the  fat  thereof."  The  offering  brought 
by  Abel  was  accepted  ;  it  was  offered  agreeably  to  the 
command  of  God;  therefore  it  must  appear  that  Abel 
believed  in  the  promise  of  God,  that  Christ  would  come 
and  redeem  man. 

Thus  we  find  from  scripture,  that  at  this  early  peri- 
od of  the  world  there  were  two  professions  of  religion  i 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  33 

1.  the  religion  of  Cain,  who  did  not  believe  the  promise 
of  God  to  redeem  man;  which  profession,  being  found- 
ed in  the  pride  of  man,  brought  forth  the  idolatry  of  the 
whole  world,  or  the  worship  of  departed  men  ;  and 
which  descended  through  five  generations  to  Lamech  :  2. 
the  religion  of  Abel,  who,  as  above,  believed  in  the  ful- 
filment of  the  promise,  and  offered  sacrifices  as  represen- 
tative of  Christ,  agreeably  to  the  divine  command  ;  which 
descended  through  nine  generations  from  Seth  to  Noah. 

We  may  also  further  remark  concerning  Cain,  that 
at  the  beginning,  he,  for  a  considerable  time,  continued 
to  offer  sacrifices  as  well  as  offerings  ;  because  it  is  said, 
"  and  in  process  of  time  it  came  to  pass  that  Cain  brought 
of  the  fruit  of  the  ground  "  only,  without  a  sacrifice  :  for 
we  cannot  suppose  that  during  this  long  interval,  signifi- 
ed by  the  words,  "  and  it  came  to  pass  in  process  of 
time  "  Cain  had  neither  brought  offering  nor  sacrifice. 
It  is  proper  to  remark  that  the  Hebrew  Van  in  the  first 
word  of  the  next  verse,  which  is  rendered  and  Abel,  should 
agreeably  to  the  rule  of  the  Hebrew  language,  be  ren- 
dered but,  viz.  but  u  Abel  brought, "  that  is,  u  Cain 
brought  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground  an  offering  unto  the 
Lord  "  but  "  Abel  brought  even  from  the  firstlings  of  his 
flock,"  which  sufficiently  proves  that  Cain  despaired  of 
ever  seeing  the  paradisaical  state  of  things  restored, 
which  he  had  supposed  would  be  the  case,  and  therefore 
presumed  to  establish  the  first  order  of  things  :  while 
Abel  continued  in  faith  to  offer  sacrifice,  believing  the 
promise  of  God  to  redeem  man  by  Christ. 

One  of  two  things  we  are  under  the  necessity  of  ad- 
mitting, either  that  Cain  for  a  great  length  of  time  after 
the  fall  brought  neither  offering  nor  sacrifice  ;  or  that  for 
a  great  length  of  time  after  the  fall,  he  brought  both  of- 
fering and  sacrifice  ;  and  then  in  process  of  time  it  came 


34  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


to  pass,  that  he  omitted,  or  held  sacrifice  unnecessary, 
and,  after  the  manner  of  the  Eden  state,  fct  he  brought  of 
the  fruit  of  the  ground"  only  "  an  offering  unto  the 
Lord ;"  which  was  the  reason  that  the  man  was  rejected 
as  well  as  the  offering. 

The  scripture  fully  justifies  this  view  of  the  subject ; 
otherwise,  where  would  have  been  the  consistency  of 
the  divine  legislation,  unless  some  justifiable  reason  could 
be  assigned  why  God  rejected  his  offerings  ?  viz.  "  But 
unto  Cain  and  his  offering  he  had  no  respect.'"  Neither 
can  Ave  suppose  that  there  was  any  partiality  shown  at 
this  period  ;  because  God  said,  "  if  thou  dost  well,  shalt 
thou  not  be  accepted?"  or,  according  to  the  marginal 
reading,  which  is  nearer  the  true  sense  of  the  original, 
"  if  thou  dost  well,  shalt  thou  not  have  the  excellency  ?  but 
if  thou  dost  not  well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door."  Which  ev- 
idently refers,  agreeably  to  the  order  of  primogeniture, 
to  him,  that  he  was  to  have  had  the  excellency,  or  honor 
of  the  Messiah's  coming  in  his  line,  had  he  done  well,  by 
continuing  in  the  belief  of  the  promise,  and  the  continu- 
ance of  the  types  and  sacrifices,  which  signified  the  com- 
ing of  the  Redeemer. 

These  words,  also,  evidently  infer  that  Cain  had  had 
the  excellency,  or  had  been  accepted  in  this  sense,  by 
the  question,  M  if  thou  dost  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  ac- 
cepted ?"  that  is,  thou  hast  heretofore  done  well,  and 
hast  been  accepted,  and  if  thou  dost  well,  thou  shalt  be 
accepted  again.  Otherwise,  the  question  would  have 
been  unnecessary,  unless  it  had  had  reference  to  his  hav- 
ing been  once  considered  the  head  of  the  line,  in  which 
the  Messiah  would  have  made  his  appearance. 

Respecting  the  doctrines  of  this  most  ancient  church, 
we  cannot  doubt  that  the  first  grand  essentials  were,  love 
to  God ;  charity  to  man,  and  faith  in  the  fulfilment  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  35 

promise  that  the  "  seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise  the 
head  of  the  serpent ;"  that  man  should  regain  by  the  Re- 
deemer, what  was  lost  by  the  transgression  of  the  first 
man  ;  because  these  essentials  of  true  religion  are  com- 
prehended in  the  commands,  which  God  had  given  to 
Adam. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  enter  into  a  discussion  con- 
cerning the  longevity  of  the  Antediluvians  :  much  remains 
to  be  said  on  that  subject ;  but  it  is  proper  to  remark  that 
(lie  patriarchs,  from  Adam  to  Noah,  who  were  supreme 
heads  both  in  ecclesiastical  and  civil  affairs,  gave  names 
to  the  church  for  the  term  of  their  natural  life,  during 
the  whole  of  which  term  they  governed  :  names  signify- 
ing its  declining  state,  and  which  names  were  changed  at 
the  accession  of  the  hereditary  successor  in  the  order  of 
primogeniture. 

It  perhaps  may  afford  pleasure  and  information  to  the 
reader,  if  I  show  with  what  wisdom  and  effect  the  vener- 
able patriarchs  applied  this  most  significant  nomencla- 
ture to  the  different  states  of  the  church.  I  dfro  not  know 
that  it  has  been  made  known  by  any  author,  therefore  it 
may  be  the  more  acceptable.  It  adds  a  great  beauty  to 
the  original  scriptures,  because  it  shows  us  how  the 
church  gradually  fell  away  to  the  time  of  Noah,  when 
no  true  church  existed.  And  as  no  nation  can  possibly 
have  the  form  of  a  regular  government,  to  keep  man  in 
a  state  of  civil  society,  unless  there  be  a  visible  religion, 
and  God  be  worshipped  in  sincerity ;  it  also  informs  us 
how  necessary  it  was  for  God  to  give  a  new  dispensation, 
which  he  did  to  Noah,  the  second  visible  father  of  all 
mankind. 


36  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


THE  FIRST  PATRIARCHAL  CHURCHES. 

Adam,  at  the  birth  of  Seth,  named  him  according  to 
the  state  of  the  church.  Seth  means  to  settle,  dispose, 
place,  constitute,  or  reduce  to  order  :  which  it  is  natural  to 
suppose  was  necessary,  as  much  confusion  must  have 
taken  place  during  the  time  of  Cain  and  Abel. 

At  the  birth  of  Enos,  the  patriarch  Seth  gave  him  a 
name  consistent  with  the  state  of  the  church,  over  which 
he  was  to  preside,  directed  no  doubt  by  Adam  who  had 
ail  knowledge  intuitively  in  himself,  and  called  him  Enos, 
which  signifies  a  mortal  state  by  sin ;  significant  of  the 
fall  of  Adam,  by  which  the  church  was  reduced  to  a 
state  of  miser}'. 

A  similar  state  of  the  church  was  meant  at  the  birth 
of  Cain  an  the  son  of  Enos.  Cainan  means  to  lament,  to 
mourn,  to  be  in  a  depressed  state  of  mind  ;  and  so  was  sig- 
nificant of  that  state,  in  which  it  is  natural  to  suppose 
the  mind  would  experience  sorrow  by  the  loss  of  the 
blissful,  paradisaical  state  of  Eden. 

Mahalaleel  succeeded,  who  was  so  called  in  con- 
formity to  the  custom  at  that  day.  Mahalaleel  signifies 
a  departure  from  the  praise  or  'worship  of  the  true  God. 
The  literal  sense  of  which  is,  that  the  state  of  the 
church  at  this  period  was  worse,  as  to  doctrines  and  life, 
than  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Cainan,  or  any 
of  the  former  churches,  and  that  they  departed  more 
and  more  from  the  true  worship  of  God  universally. 

This  departure  continued  when  Jarad,  the  next  suc- 
cessor, presided  over  the  church  and  state.  Jarad  means 
to  decline,  to  descend,  and  so  was  descriptive  of  that  or- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RKLIGlOiV 


der  of  things  in  their  progress  towards  the  last  state   of 
that  church. 

But  Enoch,  the  son  of  Jarad,  who  next  succeeded  to 
the  supreme  government,  appears  to  have  attempted  to 
restore  the  worship  of  God  by  setting  an  example  him- 
self. 

Enoch  has  the  following  signification,  to  dedicate,  to 
train  up,  and  the  word,  which  is  rendered  walked,  is  in 
the  Hithpael  conjugation,  which  means,  he  walked  himself 
training  up  with  God,  or  worshipped  God,  and  instructed 
or  trained  up  those  who  were  willing  to  worship  the  true 
God.  From  this  expression  it  appears,  that  the  great 
mass  of  the  people  did  not  walk  with,  or  worship,  God ;  but 
were  worshippers  of  idols.  Therefore  all  the  attempts 
of  Enoch  to  establish  the  true  worship  of  God,  seem  to 
have  been  altogether  ineffectual.  Methuselah,  his  son, 
succeeded  him,  when  a  more  ruinous  state  of  things  com- 
menced, agreeably  to  the  meaning  of  the  word  Methuse- 
lah* viz.  and  he  sent  forth  death,  which  indicates  a  state  of 
universal  idolatry,  in  scripture  termed  a  spiritual  death. 

This  appears  to  be  confirmed  by  the  next  successor, 
his  son  Lamech,  the  import  of  which  is,  a  total  decay  or 
falling  away,  so  complete  in  its  kind  as  not  to  leave  a 
single  vestige  of  what  this  church  was  in  its  origin.  Love 
to  God  and  charity  to  man,  which  were  the  actuating 
principles  that  constituted  this  church,  appear  to  have 
been  banished,  and  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  guid- 
ed and  directed  every  motion  in  the  heart  and  soul  of 
the  whole  human  race.  This  is  sufficiently  evident,  from 
what  is  said  in  the  5th  verse  of  the  next  chapter,  con- 
cerning the  state  of  the  world  at  this  time,  viz.  u  and 
God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the 
earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  the 
heart  was  only  evil  continually.""     A  more  complete 


ill  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION'S. 


picture  of  the  universal  departure  from  every  principle 
and  act  of  virtue  and  moral  rectitude,  was  never  drawn 
by  any  pen.  The  whole  man  was  a  lump  of  evil,  for  it 
is  emphatically  said,  only  evil,  not  in  word  only,  but  the 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  evil — not 
for  a  time  only,  but  the  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  the 
heart  was  only  evil  continually. 

We  come  now  to  that  period  of  the  world  when 
churches  and  different  forms  of  religion  began  to  be  mul- 
tiplied. Shem  and  Japhet  were  worshippers  of  the  true 
God  ;  but  Ham  appears  to  have  approved  of  the  popular 
idolatrous  religion  of  the  old  world.  Accordingly  his 
grandson  Nimrod  built  Babel,  and  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  Babylonian,  or  great  Assyrian,  empire  ;  and  estab- 
lished idolatry,  for  which  worship  twenty  two  nations  of 
the  east  became  famous. 

This  brings  us  to  the  end  of  this  first  patriarchal 
church,  comprehending  the  second  dispensation  God  had 


NAMES  AND  AGES  OF  THE  PATRIARCHS 


OF    THE    FIRST    ORDER. 


A.  M. 

Died. 

Aged. 

Adam 

born 

930 

930 

Seth   .  .  , 

130 

1042 

912 

Enos   .  . 

,   235 

1140 

905 

Cainan 

.   325 

1235 

910 

Mahalaleel 

395 

1290 

895 

Jared  .  . 

460 

1422 

962 

HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  39 


A  M. 

Died. 

Aged. 

Enoch  .  .  . 

622 

987 

365* 

Methuselah 

687 

1656 

969 

Lamech 

.   874 

1651 

777 

Noah   .  . 

.  1056 

2006 

950 

Agreeably  to  the  order  of  the  sacred  history,  I  shall 
begin  with  the  descendants  of  Japhet.  Gen.  x.  2.  "  The 
sons  of  Japhet,  Gomer,  and  Magog,  and  Medai,  and  .la- 
van,  and  Tubal,  and  Meshech,  and  Tims."  There  can 
be  no  doubt,  but  that  the  worship  of  the  true  God  was 
communicated  by  Japhet  to  his  posterity,  who  governed 
fourteen  nations.  How  long  they  continued  in  the  true 
worship  of  God,  as  given  by  their  progenitor,  does  not 
appear.  But  the  records  of  the  Bible  inform  us,  that 
some  of  these  nations,  which  were  distinguished  by  the 
name  of  their  respective  founders,  were  very  powerful 
at  the  time  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  chap,  xxxviii.  2. 
c;  Son  of  man,  set  thy  face  against  Gog,  the  land  of  Ma- 
gog, the  chief  prince  of  Meshech  and  Tubal,  ver.  4.  I  will 
bring  thee  forth,  and  all  thine  army,  horses  and  horse- 
men, ver.  5.  Persia,  Ethiopia,  and  Libya  with  them." 
Thus  we  find  that  they  were  of  such  consequence,  as  to 
bring  Persia,  Ethiopia,  and  Libya  with  them  against  Is- 
rael. We  have  a  certain  rule  for  determining  that  these 
nations  at  length  fell  away  from  the  true  worship  of  God, 
and  became  idolaters  ;  because  it  is  said,  that  by  these 
descendants  of  Japhet,  the  isles  of  the  Gentiles  were  di- 
vided in  their  land;  and  the  Gentiles,  or  nations,  for  so 
the  original  word  signifies,  were  universally  idolaters. 

Ham  i;;  next  on  record  ;  and  here  the  sacred  historian 
lias  been  particular,  in  giving  the  origin  and  descent  of 
idolatrous  worship,  after  the  flood.     It  appears  to  have 

*  Who  was  translated. 


40  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-. 

been  his  design  particularly  to  notice  idolatry*  and  the 
true  worship  of  God  ;  the  first  introduced  by  Ham,  the 
latter  established  by  the  patriarch  Shem :  therefore  ;i- 
Mitsraim,  the  son  of  Ham,  settled  in  Egypt,  I  shall  begin 
the  inquiry  concerning4dolatrous  worship,  with  the  Egyp- 
tians. 


THE  RELIGION 
OF  THE  ANCIENT  EGYPTIANS 

I  have,  in  another  place,  said,  that  the  mythology  of 
the  heathens  had  its  origin  in  Egypt,  that  from  thence  it 
passed  to  the  Hebrews,  then  to  the  Phoenicians,  and  the  Cre- 
tans, and  lastly  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  from  whom  it 
spread  over  Europe.  I  shall,  therefore,  make  a  few  re- 
marks concerning  the  Egyptian  mythology,  and  show  that 
it  was  an  application  of  the  names,  circumstances,  and 
transactions,  related  in  the  ancient  part  of  scripture,  to 
ihe  theology  of  the  day ;  which,  in  its  origin,  no  doubt, 
was  as  pure  as  the  scripture.  But  in  aftertime,  we  must 
be  allowed,  that  it  became  perverted,  and  the  nations  fell 
into  idolatry,  by  worshipping  those  things,  which,  in  that 
representative  state  of  the  church,  were  originally  signif- 
icative of  the  passions  and  affections  in  man.  This  was 
confirmed  by  the  prophet,  when  he  was  shown  in  the 
chamber  of  imagery,  clean  and  unclean  beasts,  which  sig- 
nified the  good  and  evil  affections  of  the  Jews. 

Apis  appears  to  have  been  one  of  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tian idols,  in  the  form  of  a  cow  ;  many  writers  have  said, 
that  it  was  applied  to  Joseph  ;  I  am  of  the  same  opinion ; 
but  with  regard  to  the  origin  of  the  name  Apis,  1  have  not 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  41 

met  with  any  writer  who  has  satisfied  me  on  that  subject. 
It  must  be  granted,  that  the  very  ancient  Hebrew  was 
the  language  of  Egypt,  which  only  took  that  name  from 
the  time  of  Eber.  It  is  therefore  reasonable  to  conclude, 
that  Apis  must  be  originally  Hebrew.  Accordingly,  I 
find  it  derived  from  OS,  pas,  '  embroidery  of  various  colors, 
embroidered  garments,'1  such  as  were  worn  by  the  priests, 
to  typify,  as  Parkhurst  justly  observes,  the  various  glories 
and  graces  irradiating  from  the  divine  light.  Joseph  had 
an  embroidered  coat,  and  married  the  daughter  of  the 
priest  of  On.  It  is  obvious,  that  the  priesthood  was  con- 
ferred on  Joseph,  1  Chron.  v.  1.  2.  for  the  birth-right  was 
given  to  him,  consequently  the  priesthood.  Now  after 
he  had  done  such  wonders  for  the  Egyptians,  by  preserving 
them  from  the  direful  effect  of  a  seven  years  famine,  and 
Pharaoh  had  honored  him  by  arraying  him  in  vestments 
of  tine  linen,  with  a  gold  chain  about  his  neck,  saying, 
••  without  thee  shall  no  man  lift  up  his  hand  or  foot  in  all 
the  land  of  Egypt ;?'  calling  him,  Zaphnath-paancah,  the 
preacher,  or  manifester,  of  hidden  things  :  it  is  not  strange 
that  the  Egyptians  should  call  him  Apis,  from  the  nature 
of  his  office  as  a  priest,  wearing  embroidered  garments. 
We  may  also  remark,  that  as  the  Egyptians  had  experi- 
enced the  greatest  possible  good  from  Joseph's  wisdom, 
in  laying  up  corn  during  the  years  of  plenty,  they  could 
not  have  chosen  a  more  significant  figure  to  represent 
him.  than  their  Apis,  or  cow,  because  of  its  priority  to  all 
other  amimals,  as  to  its  usefulness  to  man. 

This  also  had  reference  to  the  fat  and  lean  kine,  as  a 
primary  reason  why  they  represented  him  by  a  cow. 
We  find  again  that  he  is  compared  to  the  "  glory  of  the 
firstling  of  the  bullock,"  Deut.  xxxiii.  17. — Suidas,  in  Ser- 
apis,  says,  that  "  Apis  being  dead,  had  a  temple  built  for 
him,  wherein  a  bullock  was  kept/' 
4* 


42  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-, 

Sera])!*  was  an  idol  of  Egypt  in  aftertimc.  It  has 
been  thought  by  many  writers,  that  this  word  was  appli- 
ed to  an  object  differing-  in  every  respect  from  Apis  ;  but 
we  shall  find  that  it  was  originally  applied  to  the  same 
person,  viz.  to  Joseph. 

The  word  Scrapis  is  evidently  Hebrew  ;  it  is  a  com- 
pound of  "ity  ser.  l  to  rule,  to  regulate — a  prince  ;  and  of 
03  pas.  l  the  official  department,  or  supreme  head  of  the 
church  ;'  literally,  the  ruler  of  the  priestly  office,  the 
primate,  or  archbishop  of  Egypt,  and  therefore  called 
>cr-apis. 

Vossius  is  of  opinion,  that  Serapis  was  Joseph,  which 
he  shows  from  ancient  authority.  The  image  had  a 
bushel  on  its  head,  to  remind  posterity  that  Joseph  saved 
i lie  country  by  providing  corn  for  their  support.  These 
things  were  done  first,  only  as  an  honorary  commemora- 
tion for  signal  services,  as  is  the  custom  at  this  day,  in 
erecting  monuments  to  departed  heroes,  and  great  men. 

Bochart  has  made  some  ingenious  observations  con- 
cerning the  origin  of  the  fabulous  metamorphoses  of  the 
Egyptian  gods.  "  The  Egyptian  fable,  that  his  was  chang- 
ed into  a  swallow,  from  the  Hebrew  D^D  Sis,  l  a  swal- 
/ott'.'  Anubis  was  said  to  have  the  head  of  a  dog,  because 
rD'U  Xobeach,  means  '  to  bark.''  Jupiter,  the  supreme 
of  the  gods,  was  said  to  have  turned  himself  into  a  ram, 
because  Stf  E.I,  '  a  name  of  god,''  and  ^*)K  Ayil,  '  a  ram,'' 
are  nearly  alike.  Bacchus,  who  was  called  by  the  Egyp- 
tians Osiris,  was  said  to  be  changed  into  a  goat,  for  no 
other  reason  than  that  *V>y£?  Sangar,  which  means  c  a 
"oatf  also  means  Osiris.  Juno  was  represented  by  an 
ox,  because  rVHHttty,  Ashteroth,  one  of  the  names  of 
Juno,  and  also  Astarte  means  l  a  herd  of  oxen.''  "* 

Hist,  de  Animal.  Sacris.  Part  n.  1.  I.e.  10.  fol.  62. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS 


But  the  religion  of  the  ancient  Egyptian,  after  the 
flood,  consisted  in  the  worship  of  the  serpent,  which  spe- 
cies of  idolatry  was  handed  down  to  them  by  Ham,  and 
which  was,  no  doubt,  the  universal  worship  of  the  An- 
tediluvians. According  to  Pliny,*  the  Egyptians  had  a 
great  many  inferior  deities,  which  they  supposed  to  have 
a  power  over  nature  :  as  Jupiter,  or  spirit :  Vulcan,  or 
fire  ;  Ceres,  or  the  earth  ;  Oceanus,  or  the  sea  ;  Minerva, 
or  the  air.  They  also  had  their  terrestrial  deities,  or 
deified  men,  some  of  whom  had  the  vanity  to  assume  the 
names  of  their  celestial  gods.  Thus,  Chronus,  Saturn, 
Jupiter,  Neptune,  Juno,  Vulcan,  Vesta,  Hermes,  Orus, 
Venus,  Pan,  Apollo,  Typhon,  Mars,  <S:c.  whose  souls 
they  believed  to  have  a  habitation  in  the  celestial  sphere, 
as  appears  from  Plutarch,t  who  informs  us  that  thev  sup- 
posed the  soul  of  Isis  was  translated  to  Southes,  i.  e. 
Sirius,  or  the  Dog  Star,  the  soul  of  Orus  to  the  constel- 
lation Orion,  and  the  soul  of  Typhon  to  Ursa  Major,  or 
the  Great  Bear.  But  although  they  had  such  a  number 
of  gods,  the  Niolic  serpent  was  the  grand  idol,  and  stood 
at  the  head  of  all  their  deities.  This  appears  to  be  con- 
firmed, when  Moses  was  brought  before  Pharaoh,  and 
was  commanded  to  cast  down  his  rod,  which  became  a 
serpent.  The  Magicians  also  did  the  same  with  their 
enchantments.  Thus,  by  introducing  their  supreme  idol, 
he  showed  them  the  folly  and  vanity  of  their  worship, 
for  the  serpent  of  Moses  devoured  both. J 

*  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  x.  c.  66. 

t  P.  362. 

^  From  this  circumstance  the  writers  of  the  mythology  have 
invented  the  Caduceus  of  Mercury,  around  which  they  entwined 
the  figures  of  two  serpents,  and  Mercury  was  by  them  supposed 
to  be  the  messenger  of  the  gods.      So  in  like  manner  Aaron  was 


4-1  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  MOABITES,  AND  MIDIANITES 

Was  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  Egyptians.  That 
they  worshipped  their  departed  men,  and  offered  sacrifi- 
ces to  them,  is  on  record  in  scripture.  Chemosh  and 
Baal-Peor,  were  the  idols  of  Moab  ;  and  the  psalmist 
says,  "they  joined  themselves  unto  Baal-Peor,  and  ate 
the  sacrifices  of  the  dead,"  viz.  the  sacrifices  offered  up 
to  their  idols,  or  departed  men  whom  they  worshipped. 

These  idols  were  both  applied  to  signify  the  sensual 
passions  ;  Peor  in  Hebrew,  means  to  open,  used  by  them 
to  signify  the  bringing  forth  young.  Jerome  says,  Baal- 
Peor,  was  the  same  as  the  Greek  and  Roman  Priapus, 
and  that  Chemosh  was  worshipped  in  Nebo,  having  the 
same  application.  The  Greek  K&^o?,  was  called  by  the 
Romans  Comus,  the  god  of  wantonness  and  lascivious  feast- 
ing. Both  these  idols  were  serpent-idols,  representing 
the  sensual  principle  in  man ;  and  as  those  people  un- 
derstood this  animal  to  be  the  most  subtle  and  sensual 
beast  in  nature  ;  they  used  it  in  an  obscene  way  to  sig- 
nify the  generation  of  the  human  race. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  AMMONITES 

Had  something  in  it  more  plausible  than  most  of  the 
idolatrous  professions  of  the  east. 

the  messenger  from  Moses  to  Pharaoh,  by  the  command  of  God. 
And  as  the  date  of  the  mythology  is  many  hundreds  of  years  later 
than  the  departure  of  the  Hebrews  from  Egypt,  it  must  appear  ev- 
ident, that  the  account  of  this  transaction  was  copied  by  them, 
from  the  ancient  part  of  the  Bible. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


They  worshipped  the  sun  under  the  figure  of  a  man 
in  polished  gold  ;  his  face  represented  the  sun.  In  the 
body  there  were  seven  divisions  for  the  reception  of 
offerings.  This  idol  was  called  Moloch,  which  in  He- 
brew means  a  king  or  governor,  the  sun  being  king  or 
ruler  in  nature. 

Many  writers  have  supposed  that  the  Ammonites 
were  not  only  idolaters,  but  that  they  also  performed 
their  rites  with  the  greatest  cruelty  ;  and  that  they  made 
their  children  pass  through  fire  to  their  idol.  But  such 
information  cannot  be  gathered  from  the  Bible,  it  has 
only  been  thus  understood  from  the  present  translation  : 
no  such  monstrous  barbarity  is  sanctioned  in  the  original. 
This  custom  of  passing  their  children  through  fire  to 
Moloch,  was  similar  to  the  custom  of  baptising  children 
with  water,  at  this  Jay,  as  a  sign  that  they  are  received 
into  the  church.  Being  worshippers  of  the  solar  fire, 
represented  by  this  idol,  their  passing  before  the  fire 
which  was  burning  before  the  altar,  was  an  outward  sign 
that  these  children  were  considered  as  belonging  to  that 
religion  ;  and  they  were  registered  in  their  temples,  as 
was  the  practice  among  the  Jews,  and  as  is  now  the 
custom  among  all  christian  nations. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  AMALEKITES 

Was  the  same  as  that  of  the  Edomites,  for  they  wor- 
shipped the  same  idols.  Amalek  was  the  first  of  the 
nations  that  fought  against  Israel ;  they  ignobly  took  an 
advantage  of  the  rear  of  the  Israelites,  and  maliciously 
smote  those  who  could  not  defend  themselves.  They 
were  therefore  commanded  to  destroy  their  government, 
but  not  the  people,  and  to  blot  it  out  from  under  heaven. 


46  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  CANAANITES. 

That  part  of  the  world  assigned  to  Ham,  by  Noah, 
was  divided  among  his  sons  ;  Cush  had  that  which  after- 
wards became  the  Babylonian  empire  ;  Mitsraim  settled 
in  Egypt ;  and  Canaan  had  the  land  which  took  his 
name,  and  his  posterity  were  called  Canaanites. 

Their  religion  appears  to  have  been  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Ammonites.  They  worshipped  the  same 
idol*  Moloch,  with  the  same  ceremony  of  passing  their 
children  before  this  idol  of  the  sun.  From  the  com- 
mands given  to  Moses,  to  destroy  "  their  altars  and  break 
down  their  images,  and  cut  down  their  groves,  and  to 
burn  their  graven  images  with  fire,"  it  appears  that  they 
were  idolaters  of  a  deeper  dye,  than  most  of  the  infat- 
uated nations  of  Canaan. 

The  true  religion  established  by  Noah,  does  not, 
however,  appear  to  have  been  altogether  rejected  by 
all  the  posterity  of  Ham,  though  he  approved  of,  and 
introduced,  idolatry.  Notwithstanding  this  was  the  pre- 
vailing profession  in  after-time,  we  find  that  the  true 
worship  of  God  was  known  among  the  canaanites,  eight 
generations  after  Ham.  In  the  time  of  Abraham,  Mel- 
chizedeck  the  king  of  Salem  was  a  priest  of  the  most 
high  God,  or  a  priest  who  taught  the  true  worship  of 
God,  in  opposition  to  the  idolatrous  worship  which  pre- 
vailed at  that  day. 

*  Lev.  18.  21. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  47 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  PHILISTIANS. 

The  Philistians  descended  from  Mitsraim.  They 
appear  to  have  been  a  sect  of  idolaters,  pretending  to 
greater  humility  and  self-abasement,  than  those  who 
followed  the  established  idolatrous  worship  of  the  land. 
The  word  Philistim  means  to  roll  themselves  in  the  dust, 
or  to  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  as  a  token  of  greater  hu- 
mility than  other  professors,  by  which  their  crafty  teach- 
ers got  great  numbers  of  proselytes,  until  they  had  suf- 
ficient power  to  become  the  governors  of  the  country. 
Hence  came  the  custom  among  the  Hebrews  of  casting 
dust  on  their  heads  in  token  of  humility.  Lam.  ii.  10. 
tc  they  have  cast  up  dust  on  their  heads."  Isaiah,  xlvii. 
1.  "  Come  down,  and  sit  in  the  dust,  O  virgin  daughter 
of  Babylon." 

The  most  famous  idol  of  the  Philistians  was  Dagou, 
which  means,  the  corn-giver.  To  him  they  ascribed  the 
invention  of  growing  corn;  he  was  worshipped  in  the 
figure  of  a  man,  not  half  man  and  half  fish,  as  has  been 
supposed,  for  we  read  of  his  head,  face,  hands,  that  he 
fell  upon  his  face,  and  it  is  not  said  that  the  lower  pan 
was  like  a  fish. 

Baal-Zebub  was  also  an  idol  of  the  Philistians.  Baal 
in  Hebrew  means  lord,  and  Zebub  has  been  usually  ren- 
dered a  fly,  i.  e.  the  lord  of  the  flies  :  but  this  has  neither 
meaning  nor  application.  This  latter  word  truly  means 
a  quick  transition  from  place  to  place,  and  has  on  this 
account  been  rendered  a  fly.  It  appears  from  scripture, 
that  by  this  idol,  they  originally  meant  to  represent  the 
omniscience  of  God,  for  when  the  King  of  Israel  was 
sick,  "  he  sent  messengers,  and  said  unto  them,  Go  and 


48  HIS  TORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

inquire  of  Baal-Zebub  the  god  of  Ekron,  whether  I  shall 
recover  of  this  disease,"  i.e.  "Go  to  Baal-Zebub,  the 
lord  who  knows  all  things,"  but  the  lord  of  flies  was 
not  likely  to  know  future  events. 

Ashtaroth  was  another  idol  of  the  Philistians,  said  also 
to  have  been  the  abomination  of  the  Zidonians.  Ashta- 
roih  is  a  feminine  noun  plural,  a  compound  word  from 
Ashah,  ito  make.'  and  thour,  *  a  tour,  a  circuit?  like  the 
Moon  round  the  earth,  and  Venus  round  the  sun.  That 
the  planets  Venus  and  the  Moon  were  understood  b\  this 
word,  will  be  very  easily  determined  ;  it  is  said  Gen. 
\iv.  5.  Askteroth  karnaim:  karnaim*  means  that  which 

*  In  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  the  following  observation  was 
made  in  one  of  the  reviews  :  "  Mr.  Bellamy  asserts  that  none  of 
the  celesti::]  bodies  assume  the  crescent  form  but  the  Moon  and 
Venus,  but  the  planet  Mercury  assumes  that  form  also."11  It  is 
allowed  that  if  there  were  twenty  planets  between  the  earth  and 
the  sun,  they  must  at  certain  times  apparently  assume  the  crescent 
form.  But  as  the  greatest  elongation  of  Mercury  from  the  sun  is 
not  more  than  twenty  three  degrees,  and  as  this  planet  is  constant- 
ly enveloped  in  the  intense  splendor  of  the  rays  of  the  sun,  it  is 
Aery  rarely  indeed  that  his  body  can  be  seen  with  the  telescope. 
The  eccentricity  of  the  orbit  of  Mercury  being  far  greater  than 
any  of  the  other  planet=,  always  accompanying  the  sun,  it  was  not 
at  all  probable  that  this  planet  should  have  been  so  noticed  by 
them.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  -ancients,  as  it  is  of  the  modi  ins, 
to  affix  terms  to  the  celestial  bodies  agreeably  to  their  known  pe- 
riods when  they  made  their  appearance  in  a  certain  part  of  the 
!•  avens.  Tims  we  say  of  Venus,  when  she  is  in  a  certain  part  of 
her  orbit  as  seen  from  the  earth,  she  is  a  morning,  or  an  evening 
star  ;  the  new  Moon,  when  she  passes  from  the  conjunction  with 
the  sun  ;  consequently  it  could  only  be  the  celestial  bodies  which 
were  statedly  seen  to  rise  and  set  at  certain  periods,  and  which 
were  useful  in  determining  the  seasons,  as  the  Moon  and  Venus, 
which  were  worshipped  by  these  most  ancient  people,  the  Ante- 
diluvians. I  have  made  observations  with  a  very  powerful  reflec- 
tor at  the  time  the  earth  was.  in  that  part  of  her  orbit,  when  Mer- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  4* 

is  horned,  Deut.  xxxiii.  17.  and  as  none  of  the  celestial 
bodies  are  regularly  seen  horned  but  the  Moon  and  Ve- 
nus, the  Moon,  when  she  makes  her  first  appearance, 
after  the  conjunction  with  the  Sun,  and  Venus,  when  seen 
from  the  earth  in  a  particular  part  of  her  orbit ;  it  proves 
that  these  planets  were  worshipped  by  them,  and  that 
they  must  also  have  had  the  use  of  the  telescope,  as  the  plan- 
et Venus  cannot  be  discovered  to  have  that  horned  figure 
with  the  naked  eye.  The  full  meaning  of  these  word- 
will  be  comprehended  thus,  the  horned  tour-making  god- 
desses. 

The  septuagint  render  the  word  Ashtaroth,  ^Attcc^t^ 
Astarte  ;  and  karnaim.  by  h^o^otc-rat,  was  glorified,  which 
may  read,  the  glorified  tour-making  goddesses,  for  honis, 
or  rays  are  significative  of  glory,  Hab.  iii.  4. — This  I  say 
proves  that  these  ancient  people  were  well  acquainted 
with  astronomy,  as  none  of  the  celestial  bodies  assume 
the  crescent  form  but  the  Moon  and  Venus,  which  arc 
evidently  referred  to  by  the  above  words. 


THE    WORSHIP    OF    THE    ANCIENT    SYRIANS. 

The  scriptures  inform  us  that  the  idol  of  the  ancient 
Syrians  was  called  Rimmon.  2nd  Kings,  v.  18.    The  word 

rury  should  have  that  appearance,  and  have  never  been  fortunate 
enough  to  see  it  so  falcated.  But  admitting  that  Mercury  was 
known  in  those  early  ages,  which  may  be  proved  from  scripti.rf , 
it  would  be  a  farther  proof  that  these  primeval  people  had  the  use 
of  the  telescope,  and  that  they  had  it  in  great  perfection.  The 
feminine  noun  mm?!*,  Ashtaroth,  will  also  be  applicable  to  the 
Moon,  Venus,  and  Mercury  ;  for  Mercury  by  these  ancients  was 
allowed  to  assume  the  nature  and  quality  of  those  with  whom  it 
was  conjoined. 
5 


SO  JUS  I'OH  V  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Rimmoa  means  to  exalt,  to  be  able  to  break  forth  with 
power,  on  being  exalted.  Psalm  lxvi.  17.  The  sacred 
writers  used  the  word  to  signify  the  exaltation,  and  break- 
ing forth  of  divine  light,  the  elevation  or  breaking  forth 
of  infinite  wisdom.  This  idol  was  a  serpent  idol,  for  as 
the  serpent  was  originally  considered  as  an  emblem  of 
infinite  wisdom,  as  well  as  the  wisdom,  or  subtilty  of  the 
sensual  principle  in  man ;  so  also  the  word  was  used  to 
signify  the  elevation  and  springing  forth  of  wisdom  in 
man. 

The  Syrians  had  also  other  idols,  such  as  their  deified 
kings  and  great  heroes,  the  adoration  of  which  appears 
to  have  commenced,  when  they  ceased  to  worship  the 
serpent  ;  and  thus  fell  into  a  gross  state  of  idolatry. 
Riinmon  was  altogether  neglected,  when  a  new  sect 
sprang  up,  and  Benhadad  the  king  received  divine  hon- 
ors, as  his  name  signifies,  vix.  the  son  of  shouting,  a  cus- 
tom among  them  when  they  met  their  enemies  in  the 
field  of  battle,  by  which  they  were  intimidated,  and 
which  frequently  caused  them  to  gain  the  victory. 


J  HE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  ASSYRIANS  OR  BABYLONIANS 

Followed  that  of  the  Syrians.  It  has  been  said  to  be 
involved  in  much  obscurity,  but  the  scriptures  will  help 
us  so  as  to  determine  the  worship  of  this  very  ancient 
nation. 

Nimrod  appears  to  have  been  the  founder  of  the 
Babylonian  empire,  for  in  the  10th  chapter  of  Genesis, 
ver.  10.  it  is  said,  "  and  the  beginning  of  his  kingdom 
Was  Babel."  Some  writers  have  given  priority  to  Nin- 
eveh ;  they  were  both  royal  cities,  but  Babel  appears  by 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  51 


ihe  scripture,  which  is  the  best  authority,  to  have  been 
the  beginning  of  the  empire  of  Babylon.  It  is  said,  that 
Ashur  went  forth  and  built  Nineveh,  but  the  true  read- 
ing is  as  follows,  "  from  that  land,  he  (JVtmrocQ  went 
forth  to  Assyria,  and  built  Nineveh."  So  that  there  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  an}'  considerable  time  between 
the  building  of  Babel,  and  the  building  of  Nineveh. 

Nisroch  appears  to  have  been  the  most  favourite  idol 
of  the  Assyrians,  2  Kings,  xix.  37.  and  Isaiah  xxxvii.  38. 
Nisroch  means  the  great  one,  the  chief,  above  all  others, 
and  was  originally  intended  to  personify  the  Majesty  of 
heaven.  They  had  also  a  number  of  idols  of  lesser  note, 
for  when  the  king  of  Assyria  took  the  Israelites  away  cap- 
tive to  Babylon,  he  brought  people  from  Cuthah.  Ava. 
Hamath,  and  Sepharvaim.  And  these  people,  who  were 
all  idolaters,  but  of  different  sects,  brought  with  them 
the  idols  of  their  particular  worship.  Thus  we  read 
that  those,  who  came  from  Babylon,  made  Succoth-be- 
noth.  Lexicographers  have  supposed,  that  these  words, 
Succoth-benoth,  meant  temples  dedicated  to  the  daughters 
of  the  heathen,  where  they  were  to  prostitute  them- 
selves once  in  their  lives  to  strangers,  who  were  on  that 
account  to  make  a  gift  to  the  goddess.  But  notwithstand- 
ing all  that  has  been  said  concerning  such  an  abomina- 
tion, there  has  not  been  any  thing  advanced  that  can  be 
depended  on,  to  prove  that  this  was  permitted  to  be 
done.  It  is  not  possible  to  suppose  that  parents  would 
countenance  the  ruin  of  their  children,  which  must  have 
been  inevitably  the  case,  had  this  been  true.  The 
bad  policy  of  such  a  proceeding,  is  too  evident  to  obtain 
credit,  as  it  would  have  added  to  the  family,  which  would 
have  given  birth  to  much  distress  among  the  poor,  and 
it  would  also  have  vitiated  the  minds  of  all  the  women 
in  the  nation      We  cannot  suppose  that  the  wise  men  of 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


that  day,  weald  meet  in  their  temples  to  worship  young- 
women,  who  themselves  also  went  to  worship. 

Succoth-benoth  is  only  a  different  name  for  Asktaroth 
karnaim,  or  the  Moon  and  Venus  ;  for  as  Asktaroth  kar- 
iiaim,  means  c  the  horned  circuit-making  goddesses,'  so 
Succotk  means  c  to  hide  or  overshadow,'  and  benotli, 
•  daughters  ;'  alluding  to  those  planets,  when  they  assume 
the  crescent  form,  as  then  the  other  parts  of  their  bo- 
dies are  hidden  or  overshadowed.  As  Asktaroth  karnaim 
and  Succoth-benoth  are  feminine  nouns  in  Hebrew,  it 
shows  us  that  the  Moon  and  Venus  being  considered  fem- 
inine in  the  European  languages,  is  agreeable  to  the  cus- 
lom  of  those  ancient  people. 

The  sacred  history  proceeds.  And  the  men  of  Cuth 
made  Nergal,  i.  e.  the  rolling  light,  and  the  men  of  Ha- 
math  made  Ashma,  the  mediator  ;  and  the  Avites  made 
JVebhaz,  the  examiner  ;  and  Tartak,  the  binder  in  chains, 
or  the  temple  of  judgment  ;  and  the  Serpharvites  made 
Adramelek,  the  glorious  king  ;  Anamelek,  the  humble  king. 

Babylon  was  in  its  origin  a  colony  of  Egypt,  and 
therefore  the  idolatry  of  Egypt  passed  into  that  county. 
But  we  find  that  this  empire  became  exceedingly  great, 
and  far  outshone  the  mother  country,  both  as  to  extent 
and  population.  As  there  must,  therefore,  have  been  a 
cause  for  this  great  prosperity,  either  in  the  religious  or 
civil  order  of  things,  we  must  draw  our  information  re- 
specting this  matter  from  the  scriptures. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  colony  of  Babylon,  the 
Worship  of  the  serpent,  which  was  the  primary  idol  of 
ihe  Egyptians,  was  also  the  idol  of  Babel.  But  in  order 
to  make  this  country  vie  with  Egypt,  they  adopted  the 
sound  policy  of  permitting  the  settlers  from  the  different 
idolatrous  nations,  to  build  temples  to  their  idols  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  worship. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Thus  were  the  people  of  many  nations  permitted  to 
settle  in  the  province  of  Babylon,  till  at  length,  by  the 
great  increase  of  population,  it  laid  the  foundation  of  that 
power  which  subjugated  all  the  nations  of  the  east. 
They  were  all  idolaters,  but  of  different  sects,  a  mixture 
from  all  the  idolatrous  kingdoms,  and  the  empire  was 
called  on  that  account  Babel,  which  means  to  mix  or  min- 
gle ;  for  so  they  permitted  the  people  to  mix  with  all 
professions.  This  was  the  one  great  cause  of  the  pros- 
perity of  that  nation,  which  prepared  the  way  for  the 
establishment  of  one  of  the  greatest  empires  in  the 
world ;  the  greatest  as  to  extent  of  population,  and  more 
lasting  than  any  (hat  succeeded  it. 

But  as  I  have  before  observed,  we  are  not  to  suppose 
that  these  ancient  people,  the  most  refined  and  learned 
of  all  the  nations  at  that  period,  were  so  stupid  in  the 
beginning,  as  to  worship  idols  of  gold,  silver,  brass,  wood, 
and  stone,  as  such  only.  They  first  looked  on  things  in 
outward  nature,  as  representatives  of  the  different  pas- 
sions and  propensities  in  man  ;  as  we  find  in  the  proph- 
et, where  he  is  shown  in  the  chamber  of  imagery,  clean 
and  unclean  beasts,  the  first  signifying  the  good,  and  the 
latter  the  evil  affections  ;  by  representing  the  abomina- 
tion of  evil,  and  the  beauty  of  holiness,  which,  however, 
in  after-time  were  not  attended  to.  On  this  account, 
the  ignorant  part  of  the  community  began  to  worship 
them,  and  at  length  the  prevalence  of  example  render- 
ed this  gross  idolatry  universal. 

This  was  the  state  of  the  religion  of  the  ancient 
Babylonians,  when  the  empire  was  in  the  zenith  of  its 
prosperity.  Their  power  became  so  great,  that  they 
conquered  all  the  eastern  nations,  and  so  formed  a  vast 
and  universal  empire.  In  this  state  it  appears  to  have 
been,  at  the  time  of  Nebuchadnezzer,  when  the  un- 
5* 


54  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


bounded  ambition   of  that  monarch  introduced  a  new 
of  things  in  their  religion,  or  rather  an  addition  to 
the  established  worship  of  the  land,  by  the  deification  of 
himself. 

The  Babylonian  kings  had  many  names.  The  name 
I'buchadnezzar  appears  to  agree  with  the  memora- 
ble dream  in  Daniel,  concerning  the  tree  which  was  to 
be  cut  down,  but  the  stump  was  to  remain  in  the  ground  ; 
signifying  that  the  kingdom  was  not  to  be  taken  from 
him,  after  he  was  sensible  that  the  heavens  did  rule  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world.  Nebuchadnezzar  is  a  com- 
pound word.  jXebu  means  to  bud,  or  germinate  ;  chad, 
io  shoot  forth ;  and  nezzar,  a  scion  or  shoot,  which,  though 
it  be  cut  down,  will  flourish. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  TROJANS. 

It  appears  consistent  with  the  order  of  history,  that 
the  worship  of  the  ancient  Trojans  should  follow  that  of 
the  Babylonians.  The  intercourse  between  these  two 
ancient  nations,  on  account  of  their  proximity,  must  have 
been  frequent,  and  their  customs  and  habits  must  also 
have  been  similar,  both  as  to  their  religious  and  civil 
policy. 

It  is  evident  from  the  writings  of  Homer,  that  the 
founders  of  the  Trojan  monarchy  must  have  had  just 
ideas  concerning  God  and  his  superintending  Providence. 
Although  they  admitted,  in  their  list  of  Deities,  some- 
thing  like  polytheism,  which  was  nothing  more  in  its  or- 
igin than  a  personification  of  the  virtues  and  vices,  yet 
they  acknowledged  one  supreme  being  only.  These 
gods  are  described  in  the  Iliad  at  one  time  as  asleep  on 
their  couches. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


"  All  but  the  ever-wakeful  eye  of  Jove.11 

According  to  Virgil,*  the  idol  of  greatest  repute  among 
the  ancient  Trojans  was  Cybele,  "  the  worship  of  which,-" 
agreeably  to  the  best  authorities,  "was  brought  into 
Troas,  or  Troy,  from  Crete  by  Teucer,  the  king  of  the 
island,  and  the  father  of  the  Trojans."  It  is  literally  a 
Hebrew  word  from  Chibabcl,  c  like  Babel,'  which  show- 
that  the  religion  of  the  Trojans  came  originally  from 
Babylon  ;  and,  as  the  religion  of  Babylon  came  from 
Egypt,  which  was  the  worship  of  the  serpent,  the  re- 
ligion of  the  Trojans  must  have  been  the  same. 

I  may  be  told  that  the  goddess  Cybele  was  not  wor- 
shipped in  the  form  of  a  serpent,  but  of  a  woman.  It 
must,  however,  be  noticed,  that  the  serpent  was  wor- 
shipped under  various  forms  descriptive  of  its  ruling 
propensities  ;  and,  as  it  was  understood  to  be  superior 
to  all  animals  for  circumspection  or  prudence,  so  it  was 
a  personification  of  a  virtuous  woman,  who,  it  must  be 
allowed,  possesses  that  great  ornament  of  the  sex  in  a 
far  higher  degree  than  man. 

This  idol  was  worshipped  after  the  manner  of  the 
Babylonians,  on  hills  and  conspicuous  places,  which  cus- 
tom, these  nations  took  principally  from  the  Hebrews, 
who  worshipped  God  on  mountains  and  hills.  The  wor- 
ship of  this  idol  became  very  general  throughout  all 
Phrygia.  Many  of  their  ceremonies  were  taken  from 
the  ancient  part  of  scripture,  but  at  length  they  fell  into 
fable,  gross  idolatry,  and  superstition.  They  had  a  pe- 
culiar veneration  for  the  pomegranate  and  the  vine  tree, 
which  were  used  as  emblems  in  the  worship  of  God  :  the 
first  was  figured  on  the  border  of  the  garment  of  Aaron. 

*  lib.  3. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Their  ceremonies  of  mortifying  the  body  were  car- 
ried to  the  same  pitch  of  frantic  madness,  as  we  read 
concerning  the  priests  of  Baal,  who  cut  their  bodies  with 
knives  when  they  worked  themselves  up  into  ecstasies, 
and  pretended  to  have  divine  communication. 

It  will  not  be  difficult  for  us  to  determine  the  origin 
of  the  worship  of  this  goddess.  Cybele,  in  the  heathen 
mythology,  is  said  to  have  been  the  mother  of  the  gods, 
who  sprung  from  the  rocks  after  the  deluge  ;  which 
was  evidently  taken  from  that  epoch.  The  wife  of 
Noah,  was  b}r  them  honored  as  a  goddess,  and  her  three 
sons,  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japhet,  in  after-ages  were  wor- 
shipped. 

The  history  of  Samuel  also  is  preserved  in  the  my- 
thology, under  the  name  of  Attis,  whose  .mother  they 
feign  to  have  conceived*  "  by  taking  the  fruit  of  the 
pomegranate  tree  ;  she  had  a  son,  who  was  brought  up  by 
Phorbus,  and  who,  being  on  the  eve  of  taking  a  wife, 
was  deprived  of  her,  by  a  fatal  occurrence  ;  soon  after 
he  emasculated  himself  under  a  pine  tree.*' 

This  is  the  account  of  Samuel  mutilated,  when  his 
mother  went  to  the  temple  to  ask  of  God  to  give  her  a 
child,  who  was  taken  by  Eli,  and  devoted  to  the  service 
of  God  in  the  temple. 

Troy  flourished  at  the  time  of  the  Judges  of  Israel ; 
and  its  destruction  took  place  about  the  time  of  Reho- 
boam,  the  son  of  Solomon.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
when  Homer  sung  the  battles  of  the  gods  with  the  giants, 
he  sung  the  battles  of  the  Hebrew  leader  in  the  land  of 
Canaan  :  as  may  be  proved  from  the  s}^nchronism  of 
events  recorded  in  the  bible,  and  introduced  by  the  poet. 
Having  said  as  much  as  is  necessary  concerning  the 
descendants  of  Ham,  from  whom  descended  twenty  two 

*  Arnobius,  lib.  8. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  57 

nations,  and  of  their  different  idolatrous  sects,  I  shall  now 
introduce  those  nations,  which  descended  from  Shem. 
Concerning  Arphaxad  the  son  of  Shem,  in  whose  line 
the  Messiah  was  to  come,  I  have  spoken  in  the  chapter 
of  the  second  order  of  the  patriarchs. 

The  true  worship  of  God  continued  among1  some  of 
the  descendants  of  this  people,  to  the  time  of  Abraham 
and  Moses,  for  Melchizedeck  was  king  of  Salem,  which 
was  the  ancient  name  of  Jerusalem,  and  a  priest  of  the. 
most  high  God  :  and  Jethro,  the  father-in-law  of  Moses, 
was  a  prince  and  a  priest  of  Midian.  So  that,  though 
idolatry  was  the  established  worship  of  the  eastern  na- 
tions at  that  period,  yet  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  as 
it  was  established  by  Noah,  was  not  altogether  banished 
from  the  land  of  Canaan. 

The  descent  from  the  patriarch  begins  in  the  22d 
verse.  Elam,  Ashur,  Lud,  and  Aram,  who  were  the. 
children  of  Shem,  formed  gentile  nations.  I  shall  there- 
fore begin  with  Elam,  the  eldest  son  of  Shem  ;  and  the 
father  of  the  Elamites,  so  often  mentioned  in  scripture 
This  will  introduce 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  PERSIANS  AND  MEDES 

The  worship  of  the  ancient  Persian.-,  is  of  ver}r  great 
antiquity  ;*  it  is  carried  back  by  them  as  far  as  the  time 
of  Elam,  the  son  of  Shem  ;  they  believed  him  to  be  the 
author  of  their  Soph,  or  holy  book.  Undoubtedly,  there 
were  sacred  books  delivered  to  him  by  his  father  Shem, 
who  had  them  from  Noah,  the  names  of  which  are  men- 
tioned in  the  bible,  though  we  have  them  not. 

*  Prideaux,  Vol.  1.  p.  299. 


•38  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

The  descendants  of  Shem,  dwelt  to  the  east  of  all 
the  descendants  of  Ham,  ver.  30.  "And  their  dwelling 
was  from  Mesha,  as  thou  goest  unto  Sephar  a  mount  of 
the  east,"  which  agrees  with  Numbers,  xxiii.  7.  when 
Balak  sent  to  that  part  of  the  country  for  a  prophet  to 
curse  Israel :  viz.  "  And  he  took  up  his  parable  and  said, 
Balak  the  king  of  Moab,  hath  brought  me  from  Aram, 
out  of  the  mountains  of  the  east,  saying,  come,  curse  me 
Jacob,  and  come,  defy  Israel."  It  being  known  to  him 
that  they  were  worshippers  of  the  God  of  heaven,  and 
that  the  Aramitish  prophets  originally  had  the  power  of 
blessing  and  cursing,  on  which  ground  Balak  expected 
success  in  opposing  Israel.  For  it  is  said  of  Abram, 
which  in  Hebrew  means,  the  father  of  the  land  of  Aram, 
"  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him  that 
curseth  thee,"  Gen.  xii.  3. 

It  is  also  sufficiently  evident,  that  the  founders  of  this 
very  ancient  nation  descended  from  Elam,  the  son  of 
Shem  ;  that  their  posterity  formed  the  Persian  empire, 
and  gave  the  name  of  their  progenitor  to  the  first  prov- 
ince in  Persia,  which  became  the  residence  of  their 
kings.  Dan.  viii.  %.  "  At  Shushan  in  the  palace,  which  is 
in  the  province  of  Elam." 

The  ancient  Persians  cannot  be  ranked  with  the  idol- 
atrous nation  ;  for,  descending  from  the  patriarch  Shem, 
they  were  taught  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  which 
continued  among  them,  when  almost  all  the  eastern  na- 
tions were  sunk  in  gross  idolatry.  Some  writers  have 
charged  the  Persians  with  being  worshippers  of  fire  and 
the  sun  ;  but  this  has  been  a  mistake.  It  appears,  that 
they  most  scrupulously  adhered  to  the  worship  of  God 
in  primary  things,  as  was  also  commanded  in  the  books  of 
Moses,  which  was  much  the  same  as  that  established  by 
Abraham.     In  the  scriptures  we  find  that  the  sacred 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

"ever-burning-  firev  was  used  as  an  emblematical  repre- 
sentation of  the  ever-living  God.  He  appeared  to  Moses 
in  the  flaming  fire,  and  led  the  Israelites  through  the 
wilderness  by  a  pillar  of  fire.  It  was  kept  burning  in 
the  temple  before  the  altar  ;  it  would  therefore  be  as 
(reasonable  to  charge  the  ancient  Hebrews  with  being 
worshippers  of  the  fire,  as  the  ancient  Persians,  because 
they  kept  it  burning  in  their  temples. 

According  to  the  best  authorities,  they  agree  with  the 
Hebrews  in  the  accounts  they  give  concerning  the  pa- 
triarcb  Abraham,  and  with  the  Mahometans  in  ascribing 
rertain  books  to  him. 


THE    WORSHIP    OF    THE    MODERN    PERSIANS 

Was,  in  many  instances,  before  the  introduction  of  the 
ali_rion  of  Mahomet,  like  the  Mosaic,  which  was  intro- 
duced  by  their  legislator  Zoroaster,  who  had  his  learning 
and  religion  from  the  books  of  Moses,  as  to  essentials. 
It  was,  therefore,  more  like  a  returning  to  first  princi- 
ple, than  an  introduction  of  any  thing  new.  According 
to  the  most  authentic  account  of  the  Persian  religion  at 
this  period,  they  believed  that  God  created  the  world  in 
six  divisions  of  time  ;  that  these  division  of  time  were  not 
days,  but  states  ;  each  comprehending  a  certain  number 
of  days. 

The  established  religion  of  the  Persians,  is,  however, 
Mahometan,  who  only  differ  from  the  Turks  in  the  fol- 
lowing particular  :  the  Turks  reckon  the  descent  from 
Mahomet  by  Abubeker,  derived  from  the  Hebrew  3K  a6, 
l  father*  and  "fo^  beker  '  the  first  ^  i.  e.  the  first  father  ; 
whereas  the  Persians  begin  the  descent  from  Mahomet 
by  Eli,  from  the  Hebrew  V?K  Eli  4  my  God.1 


60  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Ashur,  the  second  son  of  Shem,  appears  to  have  giv- 
en the  name  to  Assyria.  The  word  Ashur  means  to  bless, 
and  it  originally  had  reference  to  the  author  of  all  bles- 
sing, both  in  time  and  in  eternity;  viz.  a  belief  in  the 
promise,  Gen.  iii.  15.  that  the  Messiah  should  come, 
which,  as  observed,  was  taught  by  Shem.  They  were, 
therefore,  originally  worshippers  of  the  true  God. 

We  have  but  little  said  in  scripture  concerning  Lud : 
his  descendants  became  a  very  considerable  nation,  and 
were  a  warlike  people  in  the  time  of  the  prophets.  Ac- 
cording to  the  best  authorities,  the  Lydians  had  their  or- 
igin from  Lud  ;*  for  they  are  mentioned  by  the  prophet 
Ezekiel,  as  coming  with  Persia  to  Tyre  ;  and  we  have 
seen  that  the  Persians  descended  from  Elam,  the  brother 
of  Lud.  It  is  also  reasonable  to  conclude,  that  the  Lyd- 
ians, (in  the  original  Ludims)  were  so  called  from  Lud, 
as  that  the  Elamites  were  so  called  from  Elam. 

Though  they  were  undoubtedly  worshippers  of  the 
true  God,  as  taught  by  Shem,  yet  it  appears,  that,  in 
after-time,  they  worshipped  the  Moon,  as  the  queen  of 
heaven.  This  species  of  idolatry  was  not  confined  to 
the  Persians  ;  for  as  there  was  a  commercial  intercourse 
between  the  Hebrews,  the  Persians,  and  the  Lydians, 
the  worship  of  the  Moon,  as  the  queen  of  heaven,  by 
this  means  made  its  way  into  Judea.  They  had  heard 
the  fame  of  their  renowned  temple  of  Diana,  or  the 
Moon,  which  was  built  in  the  great  city  Magnesia.  It 
was  afterwards  destroyed,  according  to  Strabo,t  by  an 
earthquake. 

They  were  very  expert  in  the  use  of  the  bow,  as  is 
mentioned  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  ch.  xlvi.  9.  though 

*  Josephus,  363,  369. 
'lib.  i;  c.  38. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  61 

some  have  contradicted  it  as  it  stands  in  the  translation  ; 
but  the  translation  is  right,  for  kaasheth  signifies  a  bora 
throughout  the  scriptures. 

Aram,  who  was  the  fifth  son  of  Shem,gave  this  name 
to  the  kingdom  of  Aram,  which  was  afterwards  called 
Syria.  By  future  conquests,  however,  it  was  called  As- 
syria ;  when  the  surrounding  nations  became  a  part  of 
this  empire.  The  word  Aram,  is  the  Hebrew  word, 
which  is  continued  in  our  English  bibles  to  the  time  of 
Elizabeth,  where  the  country  is  called  Aram,  and  the 
inhabitants  Aramites. 

The  word  Aram,  literally  means,  /  will  elevate,  or 
lift  up.  In  the  time  of  the  Hebrews,  many  ages  after 
this  period,  it  was  applied  to  the  heave-offering,  which 
was  elevated,  or  lifted  up.  Undoubtedly,  the  patriarch 
Shem  gave  this  name  with  reference  to  the  ancient  be- 
lief in  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer,  in  remembrance  of 
whom,  burnt-offerings,  and  sacrifices  were  then  lifted  up 
before  the  altar  erected  by  Noah  :  and  which  sacrificial 
worship  descended  to  the  Hebrews,  and  was  understood 
by  them  agreeably  to  the  original  institution. 

Although  the  descendants  of  Aram  worshipped  the 
living  God,*  yet  in  process  of  time,  they  fell  into  the 
polite  worship  of  their  brethren,  the  descendants  of 
Ham.  The  latter  honored  the  memory  of  the  progeni- 
tor of  the  Aramites,  with  a  temple,  which  was  dedicated 
to  him.  The  intercourse  of  the  Aramites  with  the  Phil- 
istians,  who  were  the  descendants  of  Ham,  and  who  wor- 
shipped one  of  their  progenitors,  viz  :  Aram,  no  doubt, 
introduced  the  worship  of  this  deified  man  among  them. 
They  also  built  a  temple  to  him,  as  we  read  in  Joshua, 

*  A  word  properly  used  and  applied  at  that  day,  in  opposition 
to  the  dead  gods,  or  idols. 


62  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


eh.  xiii.  27.  the  temple  of  Aram,  by  which  policy  they 
were  enabled  to  introduce  the  worship  of  their  own  idols 
among  them.  Such  has  been  the  craft  of  bigotry  and 
superstition  in  all  ages. 


THE  SECOND  ORDER  OF  THE  PATRIARCHS 

Begins  with  Noah.  The  word  Noah,  means  rest,  or 
to  lead  with  gentleness  and  peace.  This  name  was  given 
to  the  first  patriarch  of  this  dispensation,  because  it  was 
foretold,  that  through  him,  the  church,  which  had  de- 
parted from  its  original  purity,  should  again  be  establish- 
ed. Gen.  v.  29.  M  And  he  called  his  name  Noah,  saying, 
This  same  shall  comfort  us  concerning  our  work  and 
toil  of  our  hands,  because  of  the  ground  which  the  Lord 
hath  cursed.*'  From  this  passage  we  learn,  that  the  di- 
vine communication,  from  between  the  Cherubim,  was 
continued  to  the  second  order  of  patriarchs,  notwith- 
standing the  first  church  had  come  to  its  consummation 
in  the  time  of  Lamech.  He  was  instructed  to  communi- 
cate this  information,  which  was  given  him  according  to 
the  appointed  order  of  that  dispensation. 

We  find  that  God  gave  a  new  dispensation  to  Noah, 
comprehending  seven  commandments. 

The  first  was,  that  they  should  not  commit  adultery. 

2d.   That  they  were  not  to  blaspheme. 

3d.  That  they  should  appoint  just  judges. 

4th.   That  they  were  not  to  commit  incest. 

5th.  That  they  were  not  to  commit  murder ,  or  injure 
any  one. 

6th.  That  they  were  not  to  steal,  rob,  or  plunder. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  6ii 

7th.  That  they  ti-c-c  not  to  cat  Jlesh  with  the  blood 
i hereof. 

These  were  the  seven  precepts  given  to  Noah, 
when  God  renewed  the  promise  of  the  coming  of  Mes- 
siah to  him  ;  a  strict  observance  of  which,  was  to  ensure 
rest  or  peace  to  the  church.  From  which  we  may  to  a 
certainty  conclude,  that  the  commission  of  those  crimes 
prohibited  in  this  dispensation,  constituted  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  Antediluvians. 

Shorn  succeeded  Noah  in  the  supreme  government, 
of  church  and  state,  which  appears  to  have  received 
the  form  and  order  of  the  first  patriarchal  institution. 
He  was  a  zealous  promoter  of  the  worship  of  the  true 
God,  and  believed  that  the  ancient  promise  of  a  Redeem- 
er would,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  be  accomplished ;  on 
which  account  the  holy  one  was  to  come  in  his  line. 

Shem,  means  primarily,  to  put  in  order — to  place — to 
apply — to  put  in  array,  and  in  a  secondary  sense,  a  name, 
as  having  been  put  in  order,  to  be  distinguished.  Thus 
we  meet  with  J-^Vp  a^  c  the  name  of  (he  Lord  ;'  and 
from  this  word  also,  heaven  is  derived,  because  every 
thing  there  is  placed  in  the  most  perfect  order. 

The  name  Shem  was  given  to  this  son  of  Noah,  be- 
cause he  was  to  place  and  keep  in  order  all  things  respect- 
iog  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  in  opposition  to  that  oi 
the  worship  of  idols  ;  which  was  established  in  the  line 
"t  Ham.  Thus  the  venerable  patriarch,  in  the  spirit  of 
prophesy,  was  instructed  to  say  what  should  take  place 
among  the  descendants  of  Shem  and  Ham,  1500  years 
before  it  was  accomplished ;  Gen.  ix.  ver.  25,  26.  u  Bles- 
sed he  the  Lord  God  of  Shem,  and  Canaan  shall  be  his 
servant.  Cursed  be  Canaan,  a  servant  of  servants  shall 
he  be  unto  his  brethren."  The  literal  meaning  of  which, 
in  the  original  Hebrew,  is,  that  "  Shem  and  his  posterity 


64  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

will  worship  the  Lord  God  of  heaven,  and  the  Cana- 
anites  the  descendants  of  Ham  shall  be  his  servants." 
Which  was  literally  accomplished  at  the  time  when  the 
Israelites  came  out  of  Egypt,  for  the  Canaanites  were 
conquered  by  the  Hebrews,  and  thus  became  their  ser- 
vants, who  had  been  servants  to  the  Egyptians. 

Arphaxad  succeeded  Shem  in  the  government  of  the 
church  and  state  ;  he  was  the  third  son  of  Shem,  and  was. 
according  to  that  ancient  constitution,  a  priest  as  well  as 
a  temporal  patriarchal  king.  The  word  Arphaxad  is  a 
compound  word,  and  means  to  pour  forth  and  spread 
abroad  the  light.  He  appears  to  have  been  so  named, 
because  at  this  period,  he  and  the  church  spread  abroad 
the  divine  light  concerning  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer, 
which  light,  as  well  as  the  belief  in  him,  was  to  lighten 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world.  Among  all  the 
sons  of  righteous  Shem,  Arphaxad  was  chosen  to  be  the 
visible  head  of  the  true  church  of  God,  in  whose  line  the 
Shiloh,  the  deliverer,  and  the  light  of  the  world  came  ; 
he  was  therefore  properly  called  Arphaxad,  or  the  spread- 
er abroad  of  the  divine  light. 

Salah  succeeded  Arphaxad.  The  name  Salah,  which 
means  to  put  or  send  forth,  as  a  tree  its  branches,  was 
given  to  him  by  his  father  Arphaxad,  because  in  his  time 
the  church,  over  which  he  was  to  preside,  began  to  in- 
crease and  spread  forth  its  doctrines,  in  opposition  to  the 
idolatrous  notions  of  that  day. 

Eber,  the  son  of  Salah,  succeeded  to  the  government 
of  the  church.  Eber  is  a  word,  which  relates  to  the 
covenant  of  God  with  man,  viz.  to  redeem  him  from  the 
calamities  of  the  fall,  by  the  coming  of  Messiah.  It  means 
to  pass  over,  and  is  used  in  this  sense  in  scripture,  allud- 
ing to  the  patriarchal  custom  of  passing  between  the 
parts  of  a  divided  sacrifice.  Gen.  xv.  10.  Jer.  xxxjv.  18. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  65 

Entering  into  a  covenant,  Deut.  xxix.  12.  M  That  thou 
shouldst  enter  into  covenant  with  (he   Lord  thy  God." 
Eber  was  applied  by  the  Hebrews  to  the  passover,  when 
they  came  out  of  Egypt,  and  accordingly  the  jmssovcr 
was  instituted  in  commemoration  of  the  divine  goodness, 
which  passed  over  the   first-born  in  Egypt,   and  which 
pointed  out  the  great  and  last  sacrifice  at  the  passover, 
when  the  Messiah  came,  who  was  to  pardon  and  pass  over 
iniquity,  transgression  and  sin.  This  faith  in  the  eternal  sac- 
rifice seems  to  have  peculiarly  characterized  the  church 
in  the  time  of  Eber  ;  sacrifices  by  slaying  of  animals  were 
obseved,  as  types  of  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer  :  and 
what  is  worthy  of  our  notice,  is,  that  the  beasts  and  birds 
which  were  commanded  to  be  offered,  are  said  to  be 
clean :  "  and  Noah  builded  an  altar  unto  the  Lord  and 
took  of  every  clean  beast  and  of  every  clean  fowl,  and 
offered  burnt-offerings  on  the  altar/'     Plainly  meaning, 
that  as  clean  beasts  are  used  by  the  prophets  to  signify 
the  pure  affections,  all  believers  in  the  ancient  promise 
concerning    the    coming  of  Messiah,  who  obeyed  the 
commands  of  God,  should  be  purified  in  heart  and  life, 
and  should  finally  enjoy  eternal  happiness,     The  des- 
cendants from  Eber,  the  great-grandson  of  Shem,  were 
called  from  him  Hebrews ;  a  name  they  have  retained 
to  this  day.      And  thus  at  this  period  of  the  world,  it 
shows  their  firm  belief  in  the  coming  of  Messiah,  who 
was  to  pass  over,  and  forgive  all  those  who  believed  in 
him,  and  lived  agreeably  to  his  precepts. 

The  next  in  the  order  of  primogeniture  is  Peleg.  Pc- 
leg  means  to  divide  ;  it  is  therefore  said,  in  his  days^  the  earth 
was  divided.  Some  have  thought  that  this  has  relation 
to  the  earth  ;  that  originally  it  was  in  one  compact  mass, 
and  that  at  this  period  of  the  world,  it  was  divided  by  an 
earthquake,  as  it  is  at  present;  but  a  supposition  of 
6* 


66  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

this  nature  cannot  be  admitted,  because  it  leaves  us  to 
conclude,  that  the  divine  being  could  not  foresee  what 
should  happen,  and  therefore  that,  when  the  time  came, 
he  found  it  necessary  to  make  this  division.  But,  leav- 
ing such  suppositions  to  those,  who  can  be  satisfied  with 
them,  I  shall  give  a  more  rational  account  of  this  trans- 
action, more  consistent  with  the  understanding  of  the 
original  writer  of  the  sacred  scriptures,  which  treat  only 
concerning  things  appertaining  to  religion,  and  the  future 
state  of  man. 

By  the  earth,  in  scripture  language,  is  frequently 
meant  the  inhabitants,  Gen.  vi.  11.  "  The  earth  also  was 
corrupt." — Ch.  xi.  1.  "  And  the  whole  earth  was  of  one 
language." — Ch.  xix.  31.  "After  the  manner  of  all  the 
earf&."-v-lst  Chron.  xvi.  23.  u  Sing  unto  the  Lord  all  the 
earth." — Psalm  c.  "  Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  Lord, 
all  ye  lands." — Deut.  xxxii.  1.  "  Hear,  O  earth,  the 
words  of  my  mouth." — 1st  Kings,  x.  24.  "And  all  the 
earth  sought  Solomon."  It  is  more  consistent,  therefore, 
with  enlightened  reason,  and  we  have  the  authority  of 
scripture  to  conclude,  that  some  other  division  was  meant 
by  the  sacred  writer.  It  appears,  however,  that  these 
names  were  given  by  the  patriarchs  to  their  descend- 
ants, to  signify  the  states  of  these  patriarchal  churches ; 
it  is  also  as  certain,  that  at  this  time  a  division  was  made 
among  them ;  for  a  singular  change  took  place  in  the 
first  order  of  patriarchs,  from  Adam  to  Enoch,  who  are 
said  to  have  lived  800  years  after  the  birth  of  their  suc- 
cessor.    Thus, 

Seth  after  the  birth  of  Enos,       .      .      .     807  years 
Enos  after  the  birth  of  Cainan,  .      .     815 

Cainan  after  the  birth  of  Mahalaleel,  840 

Mahalaleel  after  the  birth  of  Jarad,        .     830 
Jarad  after  the  birth  of  Enoch,    ...     800 


1 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


That  this  applies  to  the  ecclesiastical  department,  or 
the  church,  as  well  as  to  the  patriarchs,  may  be  allowed, 
because  it  is  said  that  Enoch  walked  with  God  three 
hundred  years  after  the  birth  of  Methuselah,  before  he 
was  translated  ;  which  is  sufficient  to  convince  us,  that 
a  very  considerable  change  took  place  in  the  church,  in 
the  time  of  righteous  Enoch. 

Thus  it  is  said  of  the  first  five  patriarchs,  beginning 
with  Seth,  by  whom  the  first  visible  church  was  manifest- 
ed, that  they  lived  upwards  of  800  years  after  the  birth 
of  their  first-born  son,  to  the  change  which  took  place 
in  the  time  of  Enoch.  The  same  is  said  of  the  first  five 
patriarchs  of  the  second  order  from  Noah,  by  whom  the 
second  visible  church  was  manifested  ;  they  also  lived  up- 
wards of  400  years  only  after  the  birth  of  their  first-born 
son  to  the  change,  which  took  place  at  the  time  of  Peleg. 
Noah  was  500  years  old  at  the  birth  of  Shem,  I  lam, 
and  Japhet,  Gen.  v.  32.  but  as  it  is  expressly  said  that 
he  lived  350  years  after  the  flood,  ch.  ix.  29.  and  that 
his  three  sons  were  married  when  they  went  into  the 
ark,  they  must  have  been  50  years  old  at  the  time  of  the 
flood,  which  authorizes  us  to  state,  that  after  the  birth 
of  his  first-born  son, 

Noah  lived, 400  years 

Shem  after  the  birth  of  Arphaxad,       .       500 
Arphaxad  after  the  birth  of  Salah,        .       403 
Salah  after  the  birth  of  Eber,        .       .       403 
Eber  after  the  birth  of  Peleg,        .        .       430 
But  that  which  confirms  us  in   the   opinion,  that  the 
division  of  the  earth  in  the  time  of  Peieg,  was  a  division 
of  the  church,  is,  that  from  Peleg,  to  Serug,   these  pa- 
triarchs are  said  to  have  lived  only  half  the  time  of  the 
first  five,  that  is,  200  years  after  the  birth  of  their  first- 
born son.     Thus, 


68  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Peleg  lived  after  the  birth  of  Reu,  .  .  209  years 
Reu  after  the  birth  of  Serug,  .  .  .  207 
Serug  after  the  birth  of  Nahor,  .  .  .  200 
Now,  if  we  consider  that  at  this  period,  the  Chal- 
dean empire  was  extending  its  conquests  over  a  great 
part  of  the  east,  that  the  love  of  dominion,  when  aided 
by  power,  will  not  suffer  itself  to  be  controlled,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  the  Chaldean  nation  put  an  end  to  this  an- 
cient patriarchal  monarchical  form  of  government.  We 
have  scripture  and  history  to  prove,  that  this  division, 
which  took  place  in  the  time  of  Peleg,  was  a  division  of 
the  kingly  and  the  priestly  offices,  arising  from  a  general 
apostasy  from  the  true  worship  of  God,  which  caused  a 
division  in  the  church ;  the  greatest  part,  either  from 
compulsion,  or  from  the  prevalence  of  example,  adopt- 
ed the  polite  worship  of  the  Babylonians,  the  descend- 
ants of  Ham.  Thus  the  monarchical  form  of  govern- 
ment, which  from  the  time  of  Noah  had  been  joined  to 
the  ecclesiastical,  was  now  divided ;  but  the  priestly  pa- 
iriarchal  form  was  still  retained  by  Peleg,  and  by  his 
descendants  down  to  Serug.  Such  also  is  that  which 
now  exists  in  the  patriarch  of  the  Greek  church  at  Con- 
stantinople, who  is  considered  as  a  nominal  head,  but 
who  has  not  any  power  as  a  temporal  prince  ;  or  such 
as  the  pope,  who  is  reduced  to  a  similar  situation. 

Again  it  is  said,  that  this  second  race  of  patriarchs  to 
Serug,  who  were  born  after  the  flood,  lived  30  years  be- 
fore the  birth  of  their  first-born  son.     Thus, 

Arphaxad  lived     .     .     35  years  to  Salah. 

Salah      ,     ....     30  years  to  Eber. 

Eber        34  years  to  Peleg. 

Peleg 30  years  to  Reu. 

Reu 32  years  to  Serug. 

Serug 30  years  to  Nahor. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  69 

On  the  first  reading,  it  appears  strange  that  all  these 
patriarchs  should  be  nearly  of  the  same  age,  at  the  birth 
of  their  first-born  son,  and  deists  have  often  brought  this 
forward  as  an  argument  against  the  bible.  But  if  we 
attend  to  the  manners,  customs,  and  usages  of  those  an- 
cient people,  as  mentioned  in  the  sacred  scriptures,  we 
shall  be  satisfied,  that  it  was  consistent  with  the  order 
which  was  established  at  that  day. 

It  was  a  custom  among  the  ancient  Athenians,  not  to 
enter  into  the  marriage  state  till  they  were  thirty  years 
of  age  ;  and  since  this  custom  was  derived  from  the  an- 
cient Hebrews,  every  objection  to  the  patriarchs  being 
of  the  same  age  when  they  married  must  vanish.  The 
number  thirty  seems  to  have  been  particularly  attended 
to  by  these  ancient  people,  for  it  appears  that  they  were 
not  allowed  to  officiate  in  the  priestly  office  under  thirty 
years  of  age.  This  we  find  to  have  been  the  custom  in 
after-ages:  Numb.  iv.  3.  u  From  thirty  years  old  and" 
upward,  even  unto  fifty  years  old,  all  that  enter  into  the 
host,  to  do  the  work  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion."" This  custom  was  observed  by  Christ,  when  he 
began  to  preach.  Mat  I.  iii.  23.  Neither  does  it  appear 
that  the  patriarchs  married  more  than  once,  and  that  was 
at  the  time  when  they  entered  into  the  ministry,  which 
custom  is  observed  in  the  Greek  church  to  this  day. 

Reu  succeeded  Feleg.  The  meaning  of  the  word 
Rev,  is  to  break,  break  off,  or  to  break  the  long  established 
order  of  things.  From  this  we  learn,  that  as  this  church 
departed  more  and  more  from  the  true  worship  of  God, 
to  the  time  of  Nahor,  who  was  an  idolater ;  so  we  are 
authorized  to  conclude,  that  in  the  time  of  Reu,  the  long 
established  order,  which  had  existed  from  the  time  of 
Noah,  was  broken ;  and  that  many  opinions  were  intro- 
duced, inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the 


;u  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

church  in  his  time,  and  in  the  time  of  those  who  succeed- 
ed him.  Until  this  remarkable  period,  the  true  worship 
of  God,  as  established  in  the  time  of  Noah,  was  observed, 
and  from  the  time  of  Peleg  and  Reu,  the  established 
order  of  worship  was  broken.  From  this  period,  we  are 
authorized  to  date  the  beginning  of  idolatry,  in  the  line 
of  Shem. 

Serug,  his  son,  confirmed  this  change.  The  word 
Serug  means  to  -crap  together,  to  be  wreathed  or  twisted 
together,  like  the  tender  branches  of  a  vine,  Gen.  x.  12. — 
Joel,  i.  7.  which,  in  conformity  with  the  preceding  state, 
shows  that  the  church,  in  the  time  of  Serug,  continued 
the  separation  or  division.  Thus,  when  the  church  had 
fallen  into  gross  errors,  the  professors  united  themselves 
together  with  those,  who  had  joined  the  popular  idol 
worship. 

This  appears  to  have  been  the  very  last  stage  of  this 
ancient  patriarchal  church,  when  the  true  worship  of 
God  was  not  known  as  a  national,  or  public  worship  : 
but  instead  thereof,  idols,  and  visible  representations,  un- 
der the  delusive  idea  of  a  personification  of  the  attributes 
and  infinite  excellences  of  a  Supreme,  were  at  length 
worshipped. 

Ivahor,  the  son  of  Serug,  was  an  idolater  of  the  same 
cast  as  his  predecessors,  who  appear  to  have  gradually 
declined  from  the  true  worship  of  God,  to  that  of  figures, 
which  represented  the  passions  and  affections.  This 
worship  was  finally  received  among  the  descendants  of 
Shem,  who,  like  the  posterity  of  Ham,  the  builders  of 
Babel,  and  the  founders  of  the  Babylonish  empire,  wor* 
shipped  the  same  idols.  The  state  of  things  at  this  pe- 
riod, was  similar  to  that  at  the  conclusion  of  the  first 
patriarchal  church  ;  nothing  remained  of  the  true  wor- 
ship, by  which  it  could  be  known  what  was  its  origin  in 


! 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  -71 

the  time  of  Noah.  So  universally  did  idolatrous  wor- 
ship prevail  throughout  all  the  nations  of  the  east, 
that  Nahor,  the  immediate  successor  of  Serug,  and  the 
grandfather  of  Abraham,  had  joined  in  the  idolatrous 
worship,  as  before  mentioned. 


NAMES  AND  AGES  OF  THE  PATRIARCHS 

OF  THE  SECOND  ORDER. 

A.  M. 

Bom.      Died.      Aged. 

Noah 1056       2006       950 

Sheh 1558       2158       600 

\rfhaxad         ....     1658       2096       438 

Salah 1693       2126       433 

Eber        1723       2187       464 

Peleg -1757       1996       239 

Reu 1789       2028       239 

Serug 1819       2049       230 

Nahor         1848       1996       148 

Terah 1878       2083       205 

Abraham 2008       2183       175 

This  ancient  Noahotic  church,  had  now  come  to  it* 
final  consummation.  Nahor  and  Terah  his  son,  the 
father  of  Abraham,  alone  remained  to  fill  up  the  lineal 
descent ;  but  being  idolaters,  nothing  can  be  said  con- 
cerning them  respecting  the  true  church.  We  shall, 
therefore,  pursue  the  order  of  the  sacred  history,  which 
will  lead  us  to 


1-2  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


THE    COVENANT    WITH    ABRAHAM.* 

The  covenant,  which  was  established  with  Abraham, 
was  not  new.  It  related  to  the  coming  of  Messiah,  and 
was  only  a  repetition  of  the  promise  which  God  made  to 
Adam;  and  which  he  renewed  with  Noah  concerning 
the  certainty  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  ancient  promise, — 
that  the  Holy  One  should,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  appear 
in  the  world  to  redeem  man. 

A  command  was  given  to  Abraham,  which  was  not 
knowTn  in  any  of  the  former  churches.  At  this  period, 
God  commanded  circumcision  to  be  strictly  observed  by 
him  and  his  posterity  ;  but  when  they  went  into  Egypt, 
this  rite  was  neglected,  and  was  again  commanded  to  be 
observed  before  they  entered  the  holy  land. 

*  An  opinion  seems  to  have  been  entertained  by  most  people, 
that  Abraham  was  a  person  of  little  consequence,  a  private  indi- 
vidual ;  and  if  we  were  to  be  guided  by  many  commentators,  we 
should  conclude  that  he  was  a  farmer,  a  grazier,  a  kind  of  itine- 
rant wanderer.  But  the  historical  vestiges  of  antiquity,  which  are 
preserved  to  the  present  day,  give  us  a  very  different  account  of 
the  patriarch.  Some  writers  have  been  bold  enough  to  affirm, 
that  no  particulars  of  the  epoch  of  Abraham  are  to  be  found  in  an- 
cient profane  history.  Such,  however,  maybe  convinced  of  their 
error  by  turning  to  Josephus,  Antiq.  c.  8.  where  he  quotes  the 
statement  of  Berosus,  the  Chaldean  historian.  And  in  Justin, 
lib.  xxxvi.  c.  2.  we  have  the  testimony  of  Trcgus  Pompeius,  who 
says,  ;  the  Jews  derive  their  origin  from  Damascus,  a  famous  city 
of  Syria  ;  their  kings  were  Abraham  and  Israel.'  See  also  Clem- 
ens Alexandrinus,  Strom.  V.  and  Eusebius,  lib.  xiii.  c.  12.  This 
is  also  perfectly  consistent  with  scripture,  for  we  find  it  there  stat- 
ed, that  he  was  a  mighty  prince,  Gen.  c.  xxxiii.  2.  And  even  the 
sons  of  Ishmael,  were  twelve  princes  according  to  their  nations. 
Gen.  c.  xxv.  16. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


At  this  period,  sacrificial  worship  wns  again  instituted 
by  divine  authorit}\  Sacrifices  were  understood  by  Abra- 
ham to  point  to  a  Redeemer  :  the  dispensation,  therefore. 
given  to  Moses,  which  by  way  of  distinction,  has  been 
called  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  and  this  church,  the  Israel- 
it  ish  church,  was  more  properly  the  Abrahamic  dispensa- 
tion ;  for  the  primary  commands  given  to  Moses,  were 
only  a  renewal  of  those  given  to  Abraham,  and  which  had 
been  neglected  during  their  stay  in  Egypt. 

But  the  full  display  of  this  dispensation  was  not  to  be 
manifested  for  the  term  of  400  years,  during  which  time 
they  were  to  be  strangers  in  a  land,  not  their  own.  In 
the  fourth  generation,  all  things  respecting  this  dispen- 
sation were  to  be  then  promulgated,  Gen.  xv.  16.  This 
was  literally  accomplished  ;  for  Moses,  who  led  them  out 
of  Egypt,  was  the  fourth  generation  from  Levi,  who  went 
into  Egypt,  viz.  Levi,  Koath,  Amram,  Moses.  In  this 
generation,  the  law,  the  commandments,  the  rites,  and  cer- 
emonies, were  promulgated  on  Mount  Sinai,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  whole  Hebrew  nation. 

It  is  proper  here  to  observe,  that  the  worship  of  God 
was  not  wholly  extinct  at  the  time  of  the  call  of  Abra- 
ham, for  he  was  met  by  Melchizedeck,  king  of  Salem, 
and  priest  of  the  most  high  God.  By  this  we  learn, 
that,  before  the  time  of  Moses,  the  patriarchal  Mon- 
arch was  also  a  priest,  Gen.  iv.  3.  "  And  Melchize- 
deck, king  of  Salem,  brought  forth  the  bread  and  wine, 
and  he  was  the  priest  of  the  most  high  God  ;"  that  is,  he 
was  a  priest  of  that  order  which  had  long  been  establish- 
ed for  the  worship  of  the  God  of  heaven  at  Salem,  the 
ancient  name  of  Jerusalem.  This,  as  I  have  observed 
in  another  place,  is  mentioned  by  David,  who  refers  to 
the  church  established  by  Noah,  in  which  the  priests 
were  of  a  different  order  from  those  of  the  Israelitish 
7 


74 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

church.  Psalm  lxxvi.  u  In  Judah  God  is  known,  his  name 
is  great  in  Israel.  In  Salem  also  is  his  tabernacle  :"  but 
which  should  be,  "  In  Salem  also  was  his  tabernacle." 
For  there  was,  at  that  period,  an  order  of  priesthood, 
established  among  the  heathen  for  the  worship  of  idols, 
as  we  learn  from  scripture  ;  those  nations  famous  for 
idolatry,  the  Amalekites,  Amonites,  Chaldeans,  &c.  being 
then  powerful  nations. 

Many  have  supposed,  from  what  is  said  in  the  epistle 
of  Paul,  as  it  stands  in  the  English  translation,  that  this 
Melchizedeck  was  Christ,  and  that  there  never  was  such 
a  person  king  of  Salem.  But  this  is  a  great  error,  and  if 
admitted,  it  would  make  the  account  of  Abraham's  re- 
turning from  the  battle  of  the  kings,  when  he  was  met 
by  Melchizedeck,  not  a  relation  of  a  literal,  but  altogeth- 
er of  a  spiritual,  transaction. 

In  the  translation,  the  passage  runs  thus  :  "  Jesus, 
made  an  high-priest  forever,  after  the  order  of  Melchize- 
deck, king  of  Salem,  priest  of  the  most  high  God,  who 
met  Abraham  returning  from  the  slaughter  of  the  kings, 
and  blessed  him,  without  father,  without  mother,  without 
descent,  having  neither  beginning  of  days  nor  end  of  life, 
but  made  like  unto  the  Son  of  God,  abideth  a  priest  con- 
tinually." Heb.  vii.  The  passage  in  the  original  is  wrrxrup 
u.fjL,Y)Tu%  ctytvtoihoyt)To$  i  no  father  i  no  mother,  no  genealogy^ 
that  is,  no  descent  from  any  sacerdotal  family,  as  the 
,  Levitical  priests  had.  This  is  plain  from  the  following 
verses  of  the  same  chapter,  4,  5,  6.  "  Now,  considering, 
how  great  this  man  was,  unto  whom  even  the  patriarch 
Abraham  gave  the  tenth  of  the  spoils.  And,  verily,  they 
that  are  of  the  sons  of  Levi,  who  receive  the  office  of 
the  priesthood,  have  a  commandment  to  take  tithes  of 
the  people,  according  to  the  law.  But  he  (Melchize- 
deck) whose  descent  is  not  counted  from  them  (i.  e.  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


sons  of  Levi)  received  tithes  of.  Abraham,  and  blessed 
him."  Besides,  ccyeveuXoyvros  cannot  refer  to  Melchize- 
deck's  having  no  natural  genealogy,  or  natural  father 
and  mother ;  but  the  Apostle  says,  "  whose  descent,  (or 
register,)  was  not  counted  after  the  manner  of  the  sons 
of  Levi."  For  his  deficiency  in  this  kind  of  priestly  ge- 
nealogy, or  descent  from  any  sacerdotal  family,  is  men- 
tioned as  one  instance  of  his  resemblance  to  Christ, 
whcse  genealogy  is  particularly  traced  both  by  Matthew 
and  Luke,  as  not  having  descended  from  a  sacerdotal 
family,  but  as  having  sprung  from  Judah,  of  which  tribe 
Moses  spake  nothing  concerning  the  priesthood.  See 
Parkhursfs  Gr.  Lex.  This  is  also  rendered  very  clear  in 
the  Syriac  version  of  the  testament,  which  is  one  of  the 
most  ancient,  and  was  in  use  when  Peter  was  at  Antioch. 
It  is  there  said,  "  whose  father  and  mother  were  not 
written  in  their  genealogies,"  viz.  in  the  genealogies  of 
the  priests,  for  all  the  families  of  the  priests,  as  well  a* 
th<\*^  of  other  trihp«,  from  Jacob,  were  written  in  their 
genealogies,  which  were  kept  in  the  temple.  But  as 
this  method  of  registering  the  families  by  their  names, 
and  tribes,  had  its  formal  beginning  under  Moses,  there 
could  be  no  account  given  of  Melchizedeck,  who  lived 
500  years  before  the  commencement  of  the  priesthood 
of  Aaron.  That  there  was  a  priesthood  established  for 
the  worship  of  the  most  high  God,  consequently  a  dis- 
pensation prior  to  that  of  the  Jewish,  is  also  evident  from 
various  parts  of  scripture.  We  read  that,  when  the  He- 
brews came  out  of  Egypt,  Jethro  the  father-in-law  of 
Moses  was  a  priest  of  Midian,  and  offered  sacrifice,  at 
which  Moses  and  Aaron  attended,  with  all  the  elders  of 
Israel.  Exod.  xviii.  12.  which  proves  that  Jethro  was  a 
priest  of  the  most  high  God,  as  well  as  Melchizedeck. 
After  the  time  of  Moses,  we  find  that  this  very  an- 


76  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


oient  order  was  frequently  adopted.  Samuel  governed 
Israel,  who  officiated  in  the  priestly  office.  Nor  was 
this  order  of  Melchizedeck,  confined  to  these  ancient 
people  ;  it  was  also  the  order  of  the  heathen  nations  to 
the  time  of  Cicero,  who,  though  he  filled  the  office  of 
the  greatest  temporal  power  in  the  world,  viz.  the  con- 
sulate, was  aiso  a  priest.  It  is  also  written,  that  Job, 
who  lived  in  the  time  of  Moses,  and  who  was  the  king  of 
Idumea,  was  employed  in  the  priestly  office.  Ch.  i.  5. 

We  also  find  that  the  holy  sacrament  was  instituted 
in  the  most  ancient  church,  before  the  establishment  of 
(he  Israelitish  church,  and  that  the  bread  and  wine  were 
used  as  sacred  symbols  ;  Christ  commanded  the  Apostles 
to  observe  it,  when  "  he  took  bread  and  blessed  it,  and 
brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat ; 
this  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks, 
and  gave  it  to  them,  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  for  this  is 
my  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  ma- 
ny for  the  remission  of  sins. " 

Deists  have  frequently  amused  themselves  by  at- 
lempting  to  show  that  there  was  no  necessity  for  any 
ihing  of  this  nature  ;  and  have  concluded  that  if  there 
had,  water  would  have  been  more  proper  than  wine,  as 
coming  pure  from  the  Creator.  But  they  should  have 
recollected,  that  the  scripture  treats  concerning  the  in- 
ward and  spiritual  state  of  man  ;  that  this  state  cannot  be 
obtained  without  passing  through  trials,  troubles,  combats 
and  fightings  within,  against  "  the  skis  which  do  most 
easily  beset  us  ;"  and  that  by  this  combat,  a  new  life  is 
given,  agreeably  to  the  words  of  Christ,  "the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  in  you.*"  Wine,  therefore,  was  commanded  to 
be  used  as  a  proper  type,  or  figure,  to  represent  this 
new  life,  having  undergone  a  fermentation,  altogether 
incomprehensible  in  its  nature,  by  which  a  pure  natural 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


spirit,  or  vivifying  power  is  generated.  It  was  therefore 
a  more  proper  subject  than  water,  to  signify  the  sacred 
leaven  of  that  divine  power,  which  works  in  the  hearts? 
and  souls  of  all  who  obey  the  commands  of  God,  and  en- 
deavour to  keep  a  conscience  void  of  offence  towards  man. 

From  this,  we  may  observe,  that  Christ  was  not  a 
priest  after  the  order  of  Aaron,  who  was  a  priest  descend- 
ed from  the  tribe  of  Levi,  the  priesthood  being  confined 
to  that  tribe  ;  but  he  was  a  priest  after  the  order  of  Mel- 
chizedeck,  in  whose  person,  and  in  all  the  priests  of 
that  and  the  first  patriarchal  order,  the  kingly  or  magis- 
terial, and  the  priestly,  offices  were  united. 

It  may  be  satisfactory  to  the  reader  to  know,  that,  at 
the  time  of  Abraham, 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  SERPENT 

Was  the  worship  of  the  Chaldeans,  from  which  na- 
tion he  was  called  to  promulgate  the  worship  of  God. 
A  serpent  in  the  Egyptian  language  is  called  Oub  ;  and 
as  the  language  of  Babel,  or  Chaldee,  was  originally  the 
same  as  that  of  Egypt,  Oub  in  the  Chaldee  dialect  had 
the  same  meaning.  Thus  we  find  that  Moses,  who  was 
born  in  Egypt,  says,  Lev.  xx.  27.  "  A  man  also,  or  a  wo- 
man that  hath  a  {Oub.)  familiar  spirit,  or  that  is  a  wiz- 
ard.*' Here  the  translators  have  rendered  the  word 
0«6,  ' familiar  spirit^  but  which  should  have  been  trans- 
lated serpent.  Ch.  xx.  9.  And  the  soul  u  that  turneth 
after  such  as  have  familiar  spirits,  and  after  wizards,  to 
go  a  whoring  after  them  f*  or  "  who  go  worshipping  af- 
ter them,**  a  term  used  to  signify  a  departure  from  the 
worship  of  God,  in  allusion  to  departing  from  virtue,  but 
which  in  the  original  Hebrew  is,  u  and  the  soul  that 

7* 


7S  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


turneth  after  such  as  have  (Oboth)  female  serpents." — 
Deut.  xviii.  11.  or  a  charmer,  or  a  consulter  with  familiar 
spirits.  In  Hebrew,  the  noun  is  singular,  viz.  or  a  con- 
sulier  with  (Ob)  a  serpen!. — 1  Sam.  xxviii.  3.  "  And  Saul 
had  put  away  those  that  had  familiar  spirits.7'  In  the 
Hebrew,  u  And  Saul  had  put  away  those  that  had  (Obolh) 
female  serpents.** — Ver.  7.  "  And  Saul  said  unto  his  ser- 
vants, seek  me  a  woman  that  hath  a  familiar  spirit.'"  In 
Hebrew,  "  that  hath  (Ob)  a  serpent/1 — Ver.  9.  "  how 
he  hath  cut  off  those  that  have  familiar  spirits.*1  In  the 
original,  "  that  have  (Oboth)  female  serpents.11 — 2  Kings, 
xxi.  6.  'c  and  dealt  with  familiar  spirits."  In  Hebrew, 
"  and  dealt  with  (06)  a  serpent,"  in  the  singular. — Ch. 
xxiii.  24.  "  Moreover  the  workers  with  familiar  spirits, 
and  the  wizards,  and  the  idols."  In  Hebrew,  "  more- 
over, (Oboth)  the  female  serpents,  and  the  wizards,  and 
the  images,  and  the  idols." — 2  Chron.  xxxiii.  6.  M  and 
dealt  with  a  familiar  spirit."  In  Hebrew,  "  and  dealt 
with  (Ob)  a  serpent. 

The  apocryphal  scriptures  are  in  conformity  with  the 
above,  for  in  the  narrative  which  is  given  concerning 
the  destruction  of  the  idol,  Bel  and  the  Dragon,  by  Daniel, 
or  as  it  should  be  rendered,  BeVs  Dragon,  or  BePs  Ser- 
pent, we  have  a  satisfactory  reason  given,  why  he  was 
cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  Daniel  had  convinced  the 
king,  that  the  worship  of  this  creature  was  inconsistent 
with  reason,  and  that  he  had  been  imposed  on  by  the 
priests  of  this  serpent  temple  ;  he  therefore  undertook  to 
destroy  the  serpent  idol.*  This  being  accomplished, 
the  people  finding  that  their  religion  was  in  danger  of 
being  destroyed,  demanded  Daniel,  and  the  king  reluc- 
tantly delivered  him  up  to  appease  their  wrath,  and  he 

*  See  Apocryph.  c.  v. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


was  cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  That  this  was  the  princi- 
pal cause,  will  appear,  if  we  attend  to  the  book  of  Dan- 
iel ;  for  we  there  find  that  idolatry  was  at  this  time  abol- 
ished. The  circumstance,  however,  of  being'  cast  into 
the  den,  is  assigned  to  no  other  cause,  but  that  of  his 
worshipping  God,  and  refusing  to  obey  the  impious  de- 
cree of  the  idolatrous  Babylonians.  But  it  is  remarkable 
that  both  these  causes,  viz.  the  destruction  of  the  Dragon 
Serpent,  in  the  apocrypha,  and  the  non-compliance  of 
Daniel,  are  said  to  be  at  the  same  period  of  the  history. 

It  is  reasonable  to  conclude,  that  the  lords  of  Babylon, 
who  themselves  had  been  accustomed  to  all  that  pomp 
and  splendor,  which  was  displayed  in  their  idol  worship, 
and  to  which  they  had  been  brought  up  from  their  infan- 
cy, were  partial  to  it ;  and  seeing  also  the  effect,  which 
the  destruction  of  their  idols  had  on  the  superstitious 
Chaldeans,  craftily  prevailed  on  the  king  to  sign  a  decree, 
that  whoever  should  ask  a  petition  of  any  god,  or  man, 
save  of  the  king,  for  thirty  days,  should  be  cast  into  the 
den  of  lions  ;  Dan.  vi.  7.  8.  By  this  they  knew  that  they 
should  entrap  Daniel,  that  they  should  be  revenged  on 
him  for  the  insult  offered  to  the  religion  of  their  fathers, 
and  thus  appease  the  rage  of  the  people.  This  shows  us 
how  valuable  the  apocryphal  scriptures  are,  for  confirm- 
ing and  explaining  man}'  particulars  in  the  prophetical 
books.  For  here  we  have  the  cause  of  Daniel's  being 
cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  viz.  because  he  had  destroyed 
their  idol,  and  had  convinced  the  king  of  the  folly  and 
wickedness  of  idolatrous  worship  ;  the  particulars  of 
which  do  not  appear  in  the  book  of  Daniel. 

In  the  time  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  the  worship  of  the 
serpent,  which  was  then  the  polite  worship  of  the  east- 
ern nations,  was  observed  among  them ;  2  Kings,  xviii.  4. 
*'  He  removed  the  high  places,  and  brake  the  images, 


80  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

and  cut  down  the  groves,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  brazen 
serpent  that  Moses  had  made  ;  for  unto  those  days  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  did  burn  incense  to  it.*'  So  that  we 
find,  this  worship  of  the  Egyptian  Ow&,  or  Serpent,  was 
general  800  years  after  the  time  of  Moses;  the  very  ser- 
pent he  had  set  up  in  the  wilderness  having  been  pre- 
served among  them,  to  which  they  burnt  incense. 

Among  the  idolatrous  nations,  who  descended  from 
Ham,  and  who  inhabited  the  principal  countries  of  the 
cast,  the  serpent  was  universally  worshipped.  In  the 
history  of  the  degradation  of  man,  as  recorded  in  scrip- 
ture, who  undignified  his  nature  by  bowing  to  stocks, 
stones,  and  inanimate  things  ;  there  does  not  appear  to 
be  any  species  of  idolatry,  so  ancient  as  that  of  the  ser- 
pent;  which  was,  no  doubt,  the  most  prevailing  worship 
of  the  Antediluvian  world.  We  have  an  account  of  no 
more  than  eight  persons  who  were  saved  in  the  ark,  one 
of  whom  began  the  abomination  of  the  old  world,  by  in- 
troducing this  worship  instead  of  that  of  the  living  God. 

To  some  it  may  appear  wonderful,  that  the  serpent,* 
an  animal  so  disgusting  above  all  others,  should  become 
an  object  of  adoration.  But  such  persons  will  do  well  to 
remember,  that  things  of  this  nature  are  not  done  at 
once,  but  by  degrees.  The  history  of  the  subtilty  of  the 
serpent  in  Paradise,  was  preserved  by  the  posterity  of 
Adam,  and  in  process  of  time,  by  way  of  visible  represen- 
tation, the  figure  was  placed  in  their  temples  to  remind 

•  Some  writers  have  said  that  they  cannot  believe  the  ser- 
pent is  more  remarkable  for  its  craft  or  subtilty,  than  any  other 
beast  of  the  field  ;  and  thus  have  attempted  to  invalidate  the  di- 
vine testimony.  But  for  a  particular  account  of  the  craft  or  sub- 
tilty of  the  serpent,  proving  that  passage  to  be  true,  where  it  is 
said,  u  Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtle  than  any  beast  of  the 
field  •,'  see  4  the  Ophion,  or  the  theology  of  the  Serpent.' 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  81 

them  of  the  certainty  of  this  transaction,  and  at  length 
became  the  object  of  their  adoration.  This  was  the 
reason  why  the  Israelites  were  commanded  to  "  destroy 
their  altars,  cut  down  their  groves,  and  to  burn  their  gra- 
ven images  with  fire."1 

But  when  the  Israelites  were  led  by  Moses  through 
the  wilderness,  when  the  brazen  serpent  was  set  up  by 
which  they  were  cured,  the  fame  thereof  spread  to  the 
distant  nations  of  the  eastern  world  like  a  flood  :  this 
was  a  confirmation  to  them  that  it  possessed  a  virtue 
above  every  other  creature. 

Nothing  was  grand  or  dignified  without  the  image  of 
the  serpent ;  it  became  an  idol,  was  placed  among  the 
constellations,  and  divine  honors  were  paid  to  it.  This 
was  the  original  cause  in  after-time  of  that  universal 
veneration  for  the  serpent :  it  crept  into  every  corner 
of  the  east,  and  the  temples  of  the  heathen  nations 
swarmed  with  images  of  serpents. 

The  allegory  of  the  ancient  Mercury  appears  to  have 
had  its  rise  from  the  serpent.  He  was  represented  with 
a  caducous,  around  which  were  two  serpents  j  and  had 
also  wings  at  his  head,  as  was  said  above. 

I  have  frequently  remarked,  that  this  species  of  idol- 
atry, in  its  origin,  did  not  consist  in  the  unmeaning  adora- 
tion of  the  image,  or  figure,  but  was  introduced  to  rep- 
resent the  passions  and  affections  in  man  ;  such  was  the 
principle  of  circumspection,  subtilty,  or  prudence  of  the 
sensual  principle.  For  which  qualities  it  was  then,  and 
i>  allowed  by  the  best  writers  on  those  subjects,  to  be 
more  famous  than  any  other  animal :  and  therefore,  a 
more  proper  subject  could  not  have  been  chosen  in  out- 
ward nature,  to  represent  those  qualities  in  man.  This 
was  the  custom  of  the  first  race  of  men,  as  is  obvious 
from  the  scriptures,  where  we  find  that  clean  and  un- 


82  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

clean  beasts,  are  introduced  by  the  inspired  writers,  to 
signify  the  pure  and  impure  affections  ;  agreeing  with 
ihe  natural  propensities  of  the  animals  mentioned.  Thus, 
as  the  serpent  among  the  primeval  people,  signified  in 
a  good  sense  the  principle  of  circumspection,  or  prudence, 
to  watch  over  the  appearance  of  evil ;  so  in  an  oppo- 
site sense  it  also  was  meant  by  them  to  represent  the 
subtilty  of  the  sensual  principle  in  those,  who  were  per- 
petually watching  to  commit  evil,  by  the  gratification  of 
J  hat  passion  to  the  injury  of  others  ;  for  perpetual  watch- 
ing is  a  peculiar  property  of  this  creature.  Hence  they 
understood  by  the  wings  at  the  head  of  the  ancient  Mer- 
cury, the  affections  ;  which  are  best  signified  by  wings, 
the  head  being  the  seat  of  the  affections,  and  wings  were 
used  as  descriptive  of  the  swiftness,  with  which  the  mind 
flies  to  the  object  of  its  affection.  By  the  serpents 
around  the  caduceus,  the  sensual  principle  is  meant ;  and 
by  the  caduceus,  or  rod,  in  the  hand  of  the  image,  a  rod 
being  the  ancient  emblem  of  power,  they  meant  that 
power  which  man  ought  to  acquire,  that  he  might  bring 
the  sensual  principle  into  due  order,  so  as  to  govern 
himself  according  to  the  precepts  of  the  scripture.  The 
evil  therefore  did  not  consist  in  figuratively  interpreting 
these  things  ;  but  by  confining  their  views  to  that  visible 
personification,  which  led  them  to  look  on  them  only 
externally,  instead  of  viewing  them,  as  representing  the 
conquest  of  their  own  passions  and  evil  propensities. 
Thus,  at  length,  these  visible  representations  became  so 
familiar,  and  the  indulgence  of  their  vices  so  agreeable, 
that  they  contented  themselves  with  external  worship, 
and  adored  only  the  idol. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  &3 


THE  PATRIARCH  ISAAC, 

According  to  the  law  of  primogeniture,  was  the  ap- 
pointed branch,  from  whom  the  promised  Messiah  was 
to  come  :  therefore  it  is  said,  "  cast  out  this  bond  woman 
and  her  son,  for  the  son  of  this  bond  woman  shall  not  be 
heir  with  my  son,  even  with  Isaac."  Agreeably  to  an- 
cient custom,  the  bond  son,  who  is  one  not  born  in  law- 
ful wedlock,  had  no  right  to  inherit,  as  is  the  case  at  this 
day  in  all  civilized  nations. 

Some  deistical  writers  have  thought  that  there  was 
a  degree  of  cruelty  in  the  conduct  of  Abraham  towards 
Hagar,  when  he  thus  complied  with  the  request  of  Sarah. 
But  this  was  nothing  more  than  what  is  lawful  and  right 
in  the  present  day.  Ishmael  was  not  a  child  ;  he  was  at 
this  time  fourteen  years  old  ;  neither  does  it  appear  that 
either  Hagar,  or  Ishmael,  were  neglected  by  Abraham. 
It  is  said  of  Ishmael,  "  he  dwelt  in  the  wilderness  of  Pa- 
ran,  and  his  mother  took  him  a  wife  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,"  i.  e.  of  the  lineage  of  Hagar,  who  was  an  Egyp- 
tian. Now  as  Abraham  was  a  shepherd  king,  and  the 
richest  man  in  all  the  east,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
he  provided  sufficiently  for  his  son  Ishmael.  This  will 
appear  evident,  if  we  turn  to  the  25th  chapter  of  Gene- 
sis, where  we  find,  that,  though  Abraham  had  six  sons  be- 
sides Ishmael  and  Isaac,  yet  these  two  only  were  present, 
and  performed  the  chief  rite  at  the  burial  of  their  fath- 
er, ver.  9th.  "  and  his  sons  Isaac  and  Ishmael  buried  him." 
In  the  13th  and  following  verses,  the  sons  of  Ishmael, 
twelve  in  number,  are  said  to  be  princes  of  the  country : 
"  These  are  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  and  these  are  their 
names,  by  their  towns,  and  by  their  castles,  twelve  prin- 


84  HISTORY  OP  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

ces.  according:  to  their  nations,"  which  could  not  have 
been  the  case,  unless  they  had  received  great  riches 
from  Abraham. 

Abraham,  having  observed  that  Ishmael  had  given 
countenance  to  the  idolatry  of  Canaan,  by  marrying  the 
daughter  of  an  idolater,  determined  to  prevent  any  thing 
of  this  nature  happening  to  his  son  Isaac,  by  giving  him 
a  wife  of  his  own  kindred,  who  had  not  joined  the  gross 
idolatry  of  the  age.  He  accordingly  commissioned  his 
confidential  servant  to  go  on  that  business,  saying,  "  thou 
shalt  not  take  a  wife  unto  my  son  of  the  daughters  of  the 
Canaanites,  among  whom  I  dwell,  but  thou  shalt  go  unto 
my  country,  and  to  my  kindred,  and  take  a  wife  unto  my 
son  Isaac."  This  being  done,  the  dispensation  which 
God  had  deigned  to  give  to  Abraham,  was  delivered  to 
Isaac,  who  in  process  of  time  had  two  sons. 

ESAU    AND    JACOB. 

Esau,  according  to  custom,  and  the  law  of  the  land, 
being  the  first-born,  was  to  have  succeeded  his  father 
Isaac,  as  the  visible  head  of  the  true  church.  It  is  there- 
fore necessary  to  ascertain,  what  avms  the  real  cause  of 
the  rejection  of  Esau  from  the  government  of  church 
and  state. 

Deists  have  said,  because  we  read,  Mai.  i.  2,  3.  "  I 
loved  Jacob,  and  I  hated  Esau,"  that  Esau  could  not  be 
blamed  if  this  were  true,  and  thus  they  have  endeavour- 
ed to  represent  the  scriptures  as  inconsistent  with  the 
philanthropy,  which  must  necessarily  be  exercised  by  the 
divine  Being.  But  there  appears  to  be  sufficient  reason 
for  the  rejection  of  Esau,  even  as  the  narrative  stands  in 
the  translation.     It  is  said,  that  "  Esau  took  to  wife  Ju- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  85 

dilh  the  daughter  of  Beeri,  the  Hittite,  and  Bashemath 
the  daughter  of  Elon,  the  Hittite,  which  were  a  grief  of 
mind  unto  Isaac  and  Rebekah :"  And  in  Gen.  xxviii. 
8,  9.  "  And  Esau  seeing  that  the  daughters  of  Canaan 
pleased  not  Isaac  his  father,  then  went  Esau  unto  Ish- 
mael,  and  took  Mahalath  the  daughter  of  Ishmael,  Abra- 
ham's son,  to  be  his  wife/1  Thus  we  find  that  Esau,  by 
connecting  himself  with  the  professors  of  idolatry,  pre- 
ferred the  idolatrous  worship  as  Ishmael  had  done,  to  the 
worship  of  God,  as  it  was  delivered  to  them  by  Abraham. 

It  appears  then  that  Esau  approved  of  the  idolatrous 
worship  of  the  Canaanites,  which  was  the  real  cause  of 
his  being  rejected  from  the  primogeniture  ;  and  he  con- 
firmed this  by  the  rejection  of  his  birth-right  in  the  con- 
tract he  made  with  Jacob.  But  in  order  to  form  a  right 
conclusion  concerning  this  matter,  it  is  necessary  to  at- 
tend to  the  whole  narrative  ;  for  it  seems  a  trivial  thing, 
to  give  as  a  consideration  for  so  valuable  a  privilege, 
only  a  mess  of  pottage. 

Isaac  now  drew  near  to  the  verge  of  the  grave,  and 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  dispensation  given  to 
Abraham,  the  communication  of  a  divine  authority  was 
also  given  to  him,  who  was  to  be  considered  as  the  visi- 
ble head  of  the  true  church  of  God,  in  order  to  promul- 
gate the  certain  accomplishment  of  the  ancient  promise, 
concerning  the  coming  of  the  Messiah ;  which  was  to  be 
communicated  by  sacrifice  and  blessing,  as  typical  of 
him,  the  great  sacrifice,  who  was  to  bless  man  by 
redemption.  Accordingly,  we  read  in  Genesis,  xxvii. 
7,  9.  "  Bring  me  venison,  and  make  me  savoury 
moat,  that  I  may  eat  and  bless  thee  before  the 
Lord,  before  my  death.  Go  now  to  the  flock,  and 
fetch  me  from  thence  two  kids  of  the  goats."  We 
have  found  that  sacrificial  worship  was  to  be  observed 


j*6 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION S. 

by  Abraham  and  his  successors,  and  that  nothing  was  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  without  a  sacrifice.  We  find  also,  that 
this  blessing  was  not  to  he  in  the  common  way  of  bles- 
sing, but  it  is  dignified  with  the  appellation  of  blessing 
he/ore  the  Lord.  By  which  phrase  in  scripture  is  always 
understood,  before  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  where  he  conde- 
scended to  receive  the  sacrifice  ;  otherwise  it  would 
have  been  improper  to  have  said,  before  the  Lord.  For 
as  it  is  understood,  according  to  the  common  acceptation 
of  the  words,  they  were  before  the  Lord,  in  every  action 
of  their  lives.  It  must  therefore  appear,  that  this  was  a 
sacrificial  repast  before  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  emphatic- 
ally termed  in  Hebrew,  before  the  face  of  the  Lord,  which 
was  more  immediately  so,  as  there  he  deigned  to  com- 
mune with  man.  See  1  Kings,  xiii.  6.  "  Intreat  now  the 
face  of  ike  Lord  thy  God,  that  my  hand  may  be  restored 
me  again.''  From  which  we  are  authorized  to  conclude, 
that  the  blessing  of  Isaac,  consisted  in  committing  the 
great  charge  he  had  received  from  Abraham,  concern- 
ing the  sacrificial  worship,  which  was  a  manifestation  of 
their  faith,  that  the  Messiah  would  come  and  redeem 
man,  at  whose  coming  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies 
were  to  cease  forever. 

That  this  preparation  was  for  a  sacrifice  of  this  na- 
ture, will  appear,  if  we  attend  to  the  narrative,  and  the 
custom  on  these  occasions,  as  recorded  in  the  scripture. 
Genesis,  xxvii.  9.  "Go  to  the  flock  and  fetch  me  two 
kids  of  the  goats,"  evidently  refers  to  the  sacrificial 
worship,  agreeably  to  the  dispensation  given  to  Abraham, 
•md  that  these  two  kids  were  male  and  female,  or  where 
was  the  necessity  for  killing  two  kids  ?  which  order  was 
also  observed  in  the  Israelitish  church.  Exod.  xxv.  18. 
•  Thou  shalt  make  two  cherubim  in  the  two  ends  ol 
the  mercy-seat."      The  word  cherubim  is  the  Hebrew 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  W 

word,  the  pronunciation  of  which  is  retained  in  the  Eu- 
ropean languages.     It  means,  a  likeness  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jesty ;  for  as  God  created  man  and  woman,  a  likeness 
of  himself,  Gen.  i.  26.  so  he  appointed  the  two  cherubim, 
as  representative  of  the  male  and  female,  when  our  first 
parents  fell  from  this  state  of  perfection.     This  was  done 
to  remind  them,  not  only  of  the  state,  in  which  they 
were  created,  but  also  that  by  obeying  his  commands, 
which  they  were   to  receive  from  the  mercy-seat  be- 
tween the  cherubim,  to   which  there  was  no  approach- 
ing but  by  sacrifice,  they  were  taught  that  they  might 
regain  that  state  of  happiness,  in  which  they  were  crea- 
ted.     The  same    is  signiiied,  Exod.  xxviii.  9,   12.  con- 
cerning the  two  Onyx  stones,  on  which  were  engraven 
the  names  of  the  twelve   tribes  of  the  Hebrews,  and 
which  were  to  be  put  upon  the  Ephod,  on  the  shoulder 
of  Aaron,  who  was  to  bear  them  before  the  Lord.     This 
plainly  refers  to  the  Messiah,  who  was  to  bear  the  sins  of 
the  people,  male  and  female,  of  whom  it  is  said,  "  and 
the  government  shall  be  upon    his  shoulder."     Again, 
Exod.  xxix.  38.  "  Now  this  is  that  which  thou  shalt  offer 
upon  the  altar;  two  lambs  of  the  first  year."     Lev.  xvi. 
b.  "  two  kids  of  the  goats  for  a  sin  offering ;"  ver.   7. 
"  and  he  shall  take  the  two  goats,  and  present  them  be- 
fore the  Lord.1'   It  is  also  proper  to  remark,  that  as  wine 
was  used,  in  the  most  ancient  times  before  Abraham,  in 
the  true  worship  of  God  as  a  divine  symbol ;   so  according- 
ly we  find,  that  at  this  sacrifice  it  is  written,  "  and  he 
brought  him  wine  and  he  drank."     Thus  we  learn,  that 
this  request  of  Isaac,  who  was  then  near  the  time  of  his 
death,    was  not  to  gratify  his  palate  by  eating,  as  deists 
have  frequently  represented,  but  it  was  a  solemn  sacri- 
fice, for  a  sin  offering,  as  a  representative  of  our  great 


E8  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-. 

and  eternal  sacrifice,  "  who  came  to  offer  up  himself, 
the  just  for  the  unjust.1" 

Some  have  thought  that  the  great  distress  of  Esau, 
because  I>aac  had  given  the  blessing  to  Jacob,  was  occa- 
sioned by  a  fear  of  being  deprived  of  the  property  of 
his  father  at  his  death.  But  this  was  not  the  case,  for 
he  is  informed  in  the  same  words  as  were  spoken  to  Ja- 
cob, when  Isaac  blessed  him,  that  his  "  dwelling  should 
be  the  fatness  of  the  earth,  and  the  dew  of  heaven." 
This  in  the  letter  refers  to  an  equal  participation  of  the 
property ;  so  far,  therefore,  the  blessing  of  Jacob,  and 
the  blessing  of  Esau,  as  to  things  of  a  temporal  nature, 
were  equal.  This  appears  evident,  at  the  death  of  Isaac  ; 
as  Esau  succeeded  to  his  portion  of  the  property  of  his 
father,  which  was  great.  For,  after  the  death  of  Isaac, 
Esau  took  all  that  he  had  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and 
went  unto  mount  Seir ;  where  he  was  received  as  a 
prince,  his  sons  as  princes,  his  grandsons  as  dukes :  Gen. 
xxxvi.  15.  and  finally  his  descendants  became  sovereigns 
of  the  land  of  Edom.  So  that  it  is  neither  consistent 
with  reason  nor  scripture,  to  suppose  that  Esau,  concern- 
ing whom  it  is  said,  his  riches  zcere  great,  should  be  dis- 
tressed for  a  simple  mess  of  pottage,  when  his  wives,  his 
sons,  his  daughters,  and  all  the  persons  of  his  house,  were 
living  in  plenty,  and  were  the  richest  people  of  the  land. 
Gen.  xxxvi.  6. 

Esau,  however,  having,  contrary  to  the  divine  com- 
mand, made  a  league  with  the  idolatrous  people  of  the 
land,  and  having  joined  himself  to  them  in  their  worship 
of  idols  ;  was  not  a  believer  in  the  coming  of  the  prom- 
ised Messiah.  He  indeed  esteemed  this  birth-right  in 
his  line,  of  no  more  value  than  a  mess  of  pottage,  which  is 
a  customary  phrase,  in  Hebrew,  for  any  thing  that  was 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  89 


considered  in  a  contemptuo**s  light,  or  as  being  of  little 
or  no  account.  The  great  distress,  therefore,  of  Esau, 
because  Isaac  had  given  the  blessing  to  Jacob,  could  nol 
arise  from  supposing  that  he  had  lost  the  privilege  ot 
the  Messiah's  coming  in  his  line.  There  is  one  subject, 
however,  mentioned  by  the  sacred  writer,  which  ap- 
pears to  have  been  the  real  cause  of  his  distress.  We 
have  seen  that  the  birth-right,  which  the  patriarchs 
Isaac  and  Jacob  had  in  view,  was  the  communication  of 
the  certainty  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  visible  head  of  the  church,  which  was 
already  understood  by  a  solemn  oath  to  have  devolved 
on  Jacob,  because  he  was  a  worshipper  of  the  true  God. 
But  the  birth-right,  to  which  the  idolater,  Esau,  directed 
his  attention,  was  that  of  temporal  power  and  riches  only  ; 
which,  according  to  the  order  of  that  dispensation, 
were  to  descend  by  solemn  ratification  to  the  first-born 
son  ;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  the  intention  of  Isaac, 
when  he  called  Esau.  This  is  called  by  Esau,  my  birth- 
right.    Chap.  27.  ver.  36. 

From  the  most  ancient  times,  before  Abraham,  we 
find  that  the  ruling  patriarchs  had  the  privilege  of  con- 
firming temporal  power,  to  be  exercised  by  their  succes- 
sors ;  and  this  was  the  blessing  given  by  Isaac  to  Jacob, 
and  his  posterity.  Gen.  xxvii.  29.  u  Let  people  serve 
thee,  and  nations  bow  down  to  thee  ;  be  lord  over  thy 
brethren,  and  let  thy  mother's  sons  bow  down  to  thee  ; 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  thou  shalt  have  the  do- 
minion, that  thou  shalt  break  his  yoke  from  off  thy 
neck."  Hence  it  was  said,  and  Esau  hated  Jacob.  All 
this  was  literally  accomplished,  for  the  descendants  of 
Jacob  subdued  the  descendants  of  Esau.  When  the  de- 
scendants, however,  of  Esau  got  the  dominion,  which 
was  after  they  became  kings  of  Edom,  they  threw  off 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


the  yoke,  agreeably  to  the  words  of  the  patriarch  Isaac, 
in  lii<  I. losing-  to  Esau. 

Thus  we  iincl,  that  the  distress  of  Esau,  arose  from  the 
circumstance  of  his  father  Isaac,  having  solemnly,  by  an 
offering  before  the  Lord,  confirmed  the  temporal  power 
on  Jacob  and  his  posterity.  This  order  of  things  was 
given  to  the  supreme  patriarchal  king,  or  head  of  the 
true  worship  of  God,  from  the  beginning  of  the  most  an- 
cient church  to  the  time  of  Abraham.  For  he  was  rank- 
ed as  a  patriarchal  prince,  by  the  king  of  the  country, 
when  he  went  into  Egypt.  Gen.  xxvi.  16.  "  And  Abim- 
clech  said  unto  Isaac,  go  from  us  :  for  thou  art  much 
mightier  than  we." 

We  are  by  this  means  enabled  to  make  a  proper  dis- 
tinction, between  the  birth-right  of  Esau,  and  the  blessing 
of  Jacob  ;  and  to  account  for  the  distress  of  the  first-born 
of  Isaac,  who  had  solemnly  renounced  the  right  of  pri- 
mogeniture, as  it  respected  the  coming  of  the  Messiah 
from  him.  He  looked  only  for  temporal  power,  which 
had,  contrary  to  his  expectation,  and  even  the  intention 
of  Isaac,  been  confirmed  by  sacrifice  on  Jacob,  from 
whom  the  Messiah  was  to  descend  in  the  believing  line, 
in  which  the  true  worship  of  God  was  preserved.  This 
also  appears  from  the  original  words,  Ish  taam,  which 
are  translated,  '  a  plain  man  f  but  these  words  literally 
translated,  read  thus,  '  a  man  of  perfection,"*  alluding  to 
the  true  worship  of  God,  which  was  perfect  worship,  in 
contradistinction  to  that  of  idols,  to  which  Esau  was  at- 
tached. The  septuagint  render  the  Hebrew  nearer  to 
its  true  meaning  by  (XttAcco-to?,  '  without  guile  r  thus  they 
apply  the  original  words  to  the  man,  but  the  Hebrew 
refers  to  the  perfection  of  the  true  worship  of  God,  in- 
stead of  referring  to  Jacob.  From  which  it  must  appear, 
that  as  Jacob  believed  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise, 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  5J 

that  the  Messiah  should  come  to  redeem  man,  it  was  said 
with  propriety,  "  I  loved  Jacob,  and  I  hated  Esau" 


THE    PATRIARCH    JACOB 

Now  became  the  visible  head  of  the  true  church  of 
God,  and  the  sacred  writings  of  the  ancient  churches, 
remained  with  him,  such  as  the  book  of  the  zi<ars  of  Jeho- 
vah, the  book  of  Jashur,  and  others  mentioned  by  the  ven- 
erable penman,  Moses.  Jacob  and  his  twelve  sons,  left 
the  land  of  Canaan,  and  took  up  their  abode  in  Egypt, 
until,  by  a  divine  power,  they  were  delivered  and  restor- 
ed to  their  own  land. 

But  an  objection  has  often  been  made  by  deists,  to 
this  part  of  scripture  ;  viz.  when  the  promise  was  made 
to  Abraham,  we  read  ;  u  Know  of  a  surety,  that  thy  seed 
shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  that  is  not  theirs,  and  shall 
serve  them,  and  they  shall  afflict  them,  four  hundred 
years.  But  in  the  fourth  generation,  they  shall  come 
hither  again  ;'?  but  it  appears,  that  they  were  only  two 
hundred  and  fifteen  j^ears  in  the  land  of  Egypt. 

It  is  not  strange  that  deists  have  objected  to  this, 
when  many  commentators  have  given  different  state- 
ments respecting  it.  If,  however,  we  add  the  years  of 
Koath,  Amram,  and  Moses,  it  will  show  that  they  could 
not  have  been  in  Egypt  four  hundred  years.  Koath,  the 
son  of  Levi,  then  a  child,  wrent  with  his  father  into 
Egypt,  and  died,  aged  133  years;  his  son  Amram,  the 
father  of  Moses,  lived  137  years;  and  Moses  was  eighty 
years  old  when  he  led  the  Hebrews  out  of  Egypt :  these 
added  together,  make  no  more  than  350  years.  From 
this  number  when  he  went  into  Egypt,  we  must  subtract 


U2  HJ STORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  age  of  Koath,  the  years  that  Amram  lived  with  his 
lather  Koath  ;  and  the  years  that  Moses  lived  with  Am- 
ram ;  which  would  reduce  the  number  350,  to  215 
years,  this  being  the  time  they  lived  in  Egypt. 

Paul  reckons,  that  from  the  first  promise  made  to 
Abraham,  to  the  promulgation  of  the  law  in  the  first  year 
of  the  Exodus,  430  years,  215  were  expired,  Avhen  they 
went  into  Egypt.  These  are  computed  from  the  time 
of  Abraham's  arrival  in  Canaan,  viz.  twenty  five  years 
from  the  time  of  the  promise  to  the  birth  of  Isaac,  sixty 
years  to  the  birth  of  Jacob,  Gen.  xxv.  26.  who  was  130 
when  he  stood  before  Pharaoh,  xlvii.  9.  being  215 
years  of  their  sojourning  in  Canaan,  before  they  went 
into  Egypt.  From  this,  which  is  the  scripture  statement, 
it  appears  that  they  were  exactly  215  years  in  Egypt. 


NAMES  AND  AGES  OF  THE  PATRIARCHS 


OF   THE    THIRD    ORDER. 

j3.  M 

Born.         Died.       Aged. 
Abraham     ....     2008         2183         175 

Isaac 2108  2288  180 

Jacob 2168         2315  147 

Levi 2255         2392  137 

Moses 2433         2553         120 

Moses,  therefore,  was  the  last  of  the  patriarchs  :  he 
was  the  son  of  Amram,  born  in  Egypt,  during  their  per- 
secution. Amram  was  the  grandson  of  Levi,  who  had  liv- 
ed upwards  of  thirty  years  with  Isaac,  so  that  he  had 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  93 

received  all  his  information,  as  well  as  the  sacred  wri- 
tings,  from  the  patriarchs. 


TBI    WORSHIP    OF    THE    ANCIENT    GRECIANS 

Has  been  said  by  some  writers  to  have  descended 
from  the  Egyptians,  Babylonians,  and  Arabians.  But  it 
does  not  appear,  that  we  can,  with  any  degree  of  cer- 
tainty, trace  the  Grecian  mythology  so  far  back  as  the 
time  of  Moses.  We  have  authority,  however,  for  con- 
cluding that  their  altars  were  first  sprinkled  with  the 
waters  of  Canaan,  after  the  Hebrews  had  returned  from 

Egypt. 

We  certainly  are  not  authorized  to  charge  the  most 
ancient  Greeks  with  polytheism,  or  with  worshipping  a 
plurality  of  gods.  It  appears  from  all  their  writers,  that 
they  acknowledged  but  one  God  only,  the  Maker  and 
Preserver  of  the  world.  Homer  describes  the  gods  at 
one  time  as  asleep  on  their  couches, — 

'  All  but  the  ever-wakeful  eye  of  Jove.1 

Pythagoras  says,  "  God  is  one,  and  all  in  all,  the  light  of 
all  powers,  the  beginning  of  all  things,  the  torch  of 
heaven.  Father,  life,  mind,  and  motion  of  the  universe." 
Empedocles,  "  From  this  one  entity,  proceed  all  things 
that  have  been,  are,  and  shall  be."  The  same  bible- 
truth  was  supported  by  Parmenides,  Thales,  Anaxago- 
ras,  and  others  of  that  age.  Socrates  was  put  to  death 
for  asserting  the  unity  of  God  ;  and  Plato  observes, 
u  God  is  that  entity,  which  hath  being  in  himself,  the 
beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  all  things."     Jamblicus. 


94  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

"  God  is  sufficient  in  himself,  goodness  itself,  the  foun- 
tain, and  root  of  all  things,  intelligent,  and  intelligible."' 
Proclus,  "  King  of  all  things,  the  only  God,  who  produc- 
eth  all  things  of  himself,  the  end  of  ends,  and  first  cause 
of  all  operations."  Simplicius,  u  from  him  proceeds  all 
tight,  all  truths  from  the  divine  truth,  the  beginning  of 
all  beginnings,  the  source  and  origin  of  all  goodness,  the 
cause  of  causes,  God  of  gods.*'  Plotinus  the  Platonist, 
and  Porphyry  his  successor,  with  the  rest  of  that  sect, 
write  to  the  same  effect. 

The  unity  of  God  was  also  asserted  by  the  Stoics. 
Epictetus  says  "  There  is  but  one  God,  the  Governor  of 
all  things,  who  is  not  ignorant  of  our  works,  words,  and 
thoughts."  This  great  truth  was  acknowledged  b}'  all 
the  ancient  Greek  theologians :  Chrysippus,  according 
to  Plutarch,  says,  "there  cannot  be  any  other  beginning, 
but  from  Jupiter,  who  is  the  nature  and  providence  of  all 
things."  Also  Aristotle  and  his  followers  acknowledge 
t;  an  infinite  and  eternal  Mover,  the  Cause  of  causes,  the 
Father  of  the  gods  and  men,  the  Preserver  of  the  world." 
Orpheus  says,  "  The  great  King  is  seated  in  heaven,  he 
is  invisible,  yet  seeth  all  things." 

All  the  Greek  writers  agree,  in  stating  the  ancient 
Grecians  to  have  had  one  supreme  and  eleven  subordinate 
gods  viz.  Jupiter,  Saturn,  Bacchus,  Apollo,  Mar*.  Miner- 
va, Diana,  Juno,  Venus,  Ceres,  Mercury  and  Vulcan. 
These,  in  after-ages,  or  at  the  time  of  Homer,  about 
1000  years  before  Christ,  appear  to  have  been  worship- 
ped by  them.  The  truth  is,  when  the  Hebrews  came 
out  of  Egypt,  the  Greeks  being  neighbours,  had  heard 
how  the  twelve  tribes  were  delivered,  and  by  what  migh- 
ty power  they  conquered  the  land  of  Canaan.  This 
was,  no  doubt,  the  reason  why  the  Greeks  committed 
these  deities  to  the  pages  of  their  mythology :  who  were 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  03 

afterwards  personified,  applied  to  their  principal  leaders, 
and  worshipped. 

I  shall,  therefore,  draw  a  parallel  from  the  most  ap- 
proved writers,  between  the  patriarchs  and  those  called 
the  heathen  gods  ;  and  when  the  circumstances  which 
are  related,  concerning  these  deities,  are  shown  to  be 
the  same  as  are  recorded  by  the  sacred  penman,  it  will 
be  allowed  that  the  mythology  was  framed  from  the 
scripture,  or  that,  agreeably  to  their  significant  repre- 
sentative method  of  writing,  these  writers  conveyed  the 
truths  of  the  scriptures  in  such  allegorical  figures. 

Eusebius  has  given  us  much  information  respecting 
this  subject,  from  Sanchoniathon,  the  Phoenician  histori- 
an, who  says,  "  the  great  God,  Elion,  generated  the 
heaven  and  the  earth."  Elion  is  a  Hebrew  word,  which 
was  literally  copied  by  the  Greeks,  eXiow,  and  which 
means,  the  7nost  high.  The  same  word  is  applied  to  God. 
Gen.  xiv.  El  Elion.     God  most  high. 

The  wife  of  Elion  is  said  by  the  above  writer  to  be 
Berith,  a  Hebrew  word,  which  means,  covenant,  so  it  is 
rendered  in  the  translation,  but  it  more  properly  means, 
a  purifying  sacrifice  ;  which  God  ordained  for  his  peo- 
ple ;  and  which  was  considered  by  the  church  as  the 
mother  of  mercy.  The  Phoenicians  and  the  Canaanites 
supposed,  that  this  Berith  was  a  goddess,  the  wife  of  Eli- 
on, the  most  high.  And  hence  we  read,  Judges  viii.  33. 
that  the  Israelites,  after  the  death  of  Gideon,  fell  into 
the  idolatry  of  the  heathens,  and  worshipped  this  Phoe- 
nician idol.  Baal-Berith  means  c  the  Lord  of  the  covenant^ 
or,  s  the  Lord  of  the  purifying  sacrifice.'' 

It  appears  evident,  that  the  Saturn  of  the  heathens, 
was  Noah  :  Saturn  was  called  by  them,  the  father  of  all. — 
a  preacher  of  righteousness — that  under  Saturn,  all  things 
were  each  others  in  common — that  under  Saturn's  reign, 


96  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

all  was  peace  ;  it  was  therefore  termed,  the  golden  age — 
that  all  men  used  one  speech — the  wife  of  Saturn  was 
called  Rhea,  or  earth.  Noah  was  called,  a  man  of  the 
earth,  or  a  husbandman — Saturn  is  said  to  be  a  planter  of 
vines,  as  Noah  planted  a  vineyard — It  is  recorded  of  Sat- 
urn, that  he  drank  the  juice  of  the  grapes,  and  was 
drunken — that  he  was  the  author  of  a  law,  which  for- 
bade the  gods  to  behold  the  nakedness  of  men,  alluding 
to  the  crime  of  Ham. — Saturn  is  said  to  have  arisen  with 
his  wife  and  children,  from  the  sea — like  Noah  after  the. 
deluge — A  ship  was  one  of  the  symbols  of  Saturn,  in 
which  he  sailed  about  the  world — Saturn,  like  Noah, 
foretold  Deucalion's  flood — Saturn,  is  said  to  have  de- 
voured his  own  children,  except  three,  Jupiter,  Nep- 
tune, and  Pluto  :  which  alludes  to  Noah,  and  his  three  sons, 
Shem,  Ham,  and  Japhet — Saturn,  and  his  three  sons  di- 
vided the  world,  tlie  same  is  said  of  Noah. 

Janus,  as  well  as  Saturn,  in  the  mythology,  without 
doubt,  refers  to  Noah.  The  Latins  appear  to  have  de- 
rived it  from  pi  Jain,  c  winef  adding  the  masculine  ter- 
mination, us,  which  makes  Jainus,  or  Janus,  a  door,  or 
entrance  ;  a  name  very  proper  for  Noah,  who,  on  his 
entrance  into  the  new  world  when  he  descended  from 
the  ark,  was  the  first  who  planted  the  vine. 

It  must  necessarily  be  allowed,  that  Neptune  was  Ja- 
phet, tne  son  of  Noah.  Bochart  derives  the  name  of 
Neptune,  from  JinSJ  Niphtha,  which  belongs  to  Nip  ha  1, 
or  the  passive  conjugation  of  JinS  Patha,  '-  to  enlarge  :' 
Hence  it  is  said  of  nS*»  Japhet,  Gen  ix.  27.  "  God  shall 
enlarge  Japhet." 

Neptune,  was  called  by  the  ancient  Greeks.  ncruSav 
which  has  a  similar  meaning,  with  Japhet.  Herodotus 
says,  that  the  IlocreiSav  was  used  by  the  Lybians,  who 
worshipped  this  idol.     This  word  is  verbatim,  the  same 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


as  the  Phoenician  JtJI^a  Pesitan,  from  the  root  ^^s 
Pesit,  '  to  rush  from  concealment^  as  Japhet  from  the 
ark,  '  tp  spread  abroad,  to  expand :'  from  which  it  ap- 
pears, that  the  Hebrew,  Phoenician,  and  Greek  have  the 
same  application,  and  mean  Neptune  or  Japhet.  Bo- 
chart  says,*  Japhet,  passed  for  Neptune,  the  god  of  the 
sea,  because  his  portion  was  in  the  Islands  and  Peninsulas. 
So  Lactantius,t  All  the  maritime  places,  with  the  Islands, 
belonged  to  Neptune. 

The  Phoenicians  and  the  Greeks  style  Jupiter  Zev$ 
Zeus.  This  word  is  derived  from  CDn  Ham,  which  in 
both  Hebrew,  Phoenician  and  Greek,  means  6  heat.'' 
The  Egyptians  soon  after  the  flood,  called  Ham  the  fath- 
er of  Egypt,|  which  appears  perfectly  true,  for  Egypt  is 
called  in  scripture,  both  by  the  name  of  Mitzraim,  the 
son  of  Ham,  and  of  Ham  also.  Psalm  cv.  23 — 27.  "  Is- 
rael also  came  into  Egypt,  and  Jacob  sojourned  in  the 
land  of  Ham/'  Ham  was  written  by  the  Greeks  "  A^wwv 
.  h/i/non.     Hence  he  was  called  Jupiter  Amnion. 

Sanchoniathon,  and  Philo-Biblius  call  Jupiter  Tsedek, 
which  is  literally  taken  from  W^¥  the  Hebrew  word  for 
•  Just.''  Jupiter  is  also  called,  Taranis,  which  means, 
:  to  thunder  ;'  from  the  Phoenician  word  CDVin  tar  cm* 
and  the  Hebrew  |"|£y*l  rangmah,  '  thunder.' 

Jupiter  is  evidently  derived  from  J-jl  Jah,  so  called 
by  the  Greeks,  Ja,  and  tramp,  father,  i.  e.  Ja,  or  Jehovah 
father.  The  circumstances,  and  acts  attributed  to  Jupi- 
ter are  evidently  taken  from  the  scripture.  Jupiter  is 
said  in  the  mythology  to  have  rebelled  against  his  father. 
Saturn,  as  Ham  rebelled  against  Noah. 

'  Phaleg.  1.  1.  C.  2. 

t  De  falsa  Relig.  1.  1.  C.  11 

%  Vossius  de  Idolat.  1.  1.  C.  27. 
9 


08  rom    OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Juno,  in  the  mythology,  is  fabled  to  be  the  wife  of 
Jupiter.  It  i-  proper  to  remark,  that,  among  the  heath- 
en nations,  the  sun  and  the  moon  were  their  primary 
idols,  and  in  reference  to  these  two  idols,  the  prophet 
-,t\  s,  ••  Bel  boweth  down,  Nebo  stoopeth."  Isaiah  xlvi. 
1. — Bel  signifies  the  sun,  from  the  Hebrew  Stf  El,  c  God,' 
the  sun  being  the  supreme  object  in  all  nature,  and  the 
soul  of  animal  life.  Hence,  also,  the  Greek  'HA,  ovinias 
the  sun  ;  and.  as  the  Babylonians  applied  this  word.  7K 
El.  or  Bel,  to  the  «m,  so  they  applied  ■pj  .Ycbo,  to  the 
moon,  as  the  word  in  connexion  with  ^K  El,  signifies, 
for  i\'ebo  means,  to  increase,  and  in  connexion  with  the 
sun,  means,  the  moon  when  increasing  in  light  :  thus  it 
appears,  that  we  have  a  true  understanding  of  this  pas- 
sage of  scripture. 

Apollo  was  also  one  of  the  appellatives  of  Joshua. 
' .\7toXXmv  Apollon,  means  '  to  destroy,"1  so  Joshua  was  a 
destroyer,  commanded  to  destroy  the  idolatrous  worship 
of  the  Canaanites — Joshua,  in  Hebrew,  means  a  saviour, 
thus  by  destroying  the  idolatry  of  the  Canaanites,  he  was 
appointed  to  be  the  saviour  of  the  Hebrews. 

The  name  of  Apollo  has  never  been  carried  further 
jack  than  the  time  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  before  the 
time  of  Homer,  but  it  is  evidently  derived  from  the  He- 
brew n^Sjl  Hapolaah,  l  to  separate,  divide.''  The  vul- 
gate  renders  Exod.  ii.  7.  quanto  miraculo  dividet,  to  di- 
vide miraculously  ;  to  separate  between  the  good  and  evil — 
o  pronounce  judgment — to  intercede  between  the  judge  and 
the  criminal — Jl  wonderful  separation,  exceeding  experi- 
ence, power  or  expectation.*  Gen.  xviii.  14.  2  Chron. 
xxvi.  1 5.     All  which  most  eminently  applies  to  Noah.. 

Vide  Parkhuret,  1.  1. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-  ^ 

who  was  appointed  to  pronounce  judgment,  to  intercede — 
and  finally,  to  separate,  until  judgment  was  executed. 

History  and  tradition  had  handed  down  to  the  ancient 
Greeks,  all  the  circumstances  of  the  flood,  and  the  des- 
truction of  the  old  world,  by  this  nSSil}  miraculous  judgr 
merits  from  which  word  they  framed  the  word  ^AnoXXav 
Apollon,  '  to  destroy.'  This  also  gave  rise  to  the  Del- 
phic Oracle  :  for  as  Noah  had  been  a  wonderful  oracle 
to  the  Antediluvians  ;  so  the  ancient  Greeks  built  a  mag- 
nificent temple,  at  Delphos,  and  erected  a  statue,  to  per- 
petuate that  awful  miracle,  and  the  man  who  had  been 
obedient  to  the  divine  command.  In  the  hand  of  the 
statue,  they  put  a  golden  bow.  mentioned  by  the  Greek 
poets, — 

"  He  from  his  golden  bow." 

Which  was  taken  from  scripture,  in  the  narrative  after 
the  flood,  viz :  "  I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud." 

Diodorus,  speaking  of  Apollo,  says,  that  by  the  wars 
of  the  gods,  the  giants  became  extinct.  Nothing  can 
more  accurately  point  out  the  period  of  the  deluge.  In 
Gen.  vi.  4.  it  is  said,  "  There  were  giants  in  the  earth  in 
those  days  :"  and  by  the  judgment  of  God,  the  whole 
race  was  swept  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  except  Noah, 
and  his  famiry,  the  giants,  or  great  men,  together  with  all 
of  inferior  degree,  appear  to  have  been  swallowed  in 
the  universal  ruin. 

Apollo  is  rendered  famous  by  Homer,  for  destroying 
Typhon  ;  Python  and  Typhon  are  only  dialectic  varia- 
tions, they  mean  the  same  man,  viz.  Og,  the  king  of 
Bashan,  as  follows  under  Hercules. 

Bacchus,  from  the  place  where  he  obtained  a  knowl- 
edge of  all  the  learning  of  the  east,  was  called  I)iony- 


100  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

sius  ;  i.  e.  Dio  and  Nisi.  Plutarch  mention?  the  flight 
Aiowrev  of  Dio-nysius.  Homer  speaks  of  the  city  Arisa, 
sacred  to  Bacchus.  Nisi  was  a  city  close  to  a  mountain 
in  Arabia,  near  Egypt,  where  Moses  was  received  when 
he  fled  from  the  face  of  Pharaoh.  At  Nisi,  he  resided 
forty  years,  and  was  instructed  in  mount  Sinai  respect- 
ing the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  worship  of  God.  For 
this  reason,  it  was.  that  he  erected  an  altar  there,  which 
he  called  Jehovah  Nisi.  Exod.  xvii.  15.  The  same  is 
said  of  Bacchus,  by  Ovid.  "Bacchus  was  instructed  in 
the  highest  wisdom  in  a  mount  of  Arabia,  called  Nisi." 
Diodorus  Siculus  informs  us,  that  the  ancient  Brachmans 
acknowledged  the  whole  system  of  their  civil  and  reli- 
gious policy,  to  have  been  derived  from  Dionysius ;  that 
in  consequence  of  their  veneration  for  that  personage, 
who  introduced  the  knowledge  of  religion  and  literature 
into  India,  divine  rites  were  instituted  in  honor  of  him.* 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  that  Nisi,  and  Sinai,  have  a 
similar  signification.  Sini,  in  Hebrew,  by  putting  the  J 
X.  before  the  D  S.  is  Nisi  ;  and  as  *»JJ*»D  Sini,  has  the 
same  meaning,  as  rtvv  to  hurt,  or  'wound,  which  is  derived 
from  it ;  and  as  *>D,J  Nisi,  means  a  refuge,  a  banner  ;  60 
Closes,  by  a  change  of  the  letter,  called  the  altar  Nisi, 
and  yet  preserved  the  meaning  of  the  root  Sini,  saying, 
in  effect,  Jehovah,  who  is  my  defence,  will  wound  all  who 
shall  sacrilegiously  ascend  his  holy  mountain.  Exod. 
xix.  St. 

Bacchus  is  said  in  the  mythology,  to  have  been  born, 
in  Egypt ;  put  in  an  ark  and  exposed  to  the  waters ;  the 
same  is  recorded  concerning  Moses.  Bacchus  had  two 
mothers,  so  had  Moses,  his  own  mother,  and  the  daughter 
of  Pharaoh. — The  flight  of  Bacchus  was  toward  the  Red 

*  Inch  Antiq. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION.  lu 


sea  ;  so  wets'  the  flight  of  Moses — One  of  the  symbols  in  the 
theology  of  Bacchus  was  a  serpent;  Moses  setup  the  bra- 
zen  serpent  in  the  -wilderness — Bacchus  had  great  numbers 
of  women  in  his  army  ;  so  had  Moses  in  his  journey  to  Ca- 
naan— Bacchus  is  said  to  have  dried  up  the  rivers   Oron- 
tes  and  Hydaspes,  by  striking  them  with  his  Thyrsus,  and 
passed  over  them ;  Moses  divided  the  Red  sea,  and  the  riv- 
er Jordan,  with  his  rod,  and  passed  through  them — That 
an  ivy  stick  thrown  on  the  ground,  by   Bacchus,  crept 
like  a  dragon  ;  so  by  the   command  of  Moses,   the  rod  was 
cast  down  and  became  a  serpent — Bacchus  was  called  Dio- 
Nysus  ;  which  is  the  inscription  on  the  altar — A  dog  was 
given  to  Bacchus,  as  a  constant  companion ;  so  Moses 
had  his  Caleb,  which  in  Hebrew  means  '  a  dog"1 — That   the 
enemies  of  Bacchus  were  covered  with  darkness  ;  while 
those  who  were  with  him  enjoyed  perfect  day — the  same 
is  recorded  of  Moses — That.  Bacchus  drew  water  out  of  a 
rock,  by  striking  it  with  his  Thyrsus  ;   and  that  wherev- 
er  he    went,    the   land   flowed  with  milk   and  honey; 
Moses  struck  the  rock,  and  the  waters  gushed  out,  and  the 
land  of  Canaan  was  said  to  flow  with   milk  and  honey — 
Orpheus  calls  Bacchus,  the  legislator,   and  attributes  to 
him  two  tables  of  laws — Bacchus  is  said  by  the  Greeks, 
in  the   mythology,  to  have  had  Silenus  for  his  adviser. 
This  word  is  the  same  as  the  word     fr)}£  Shilan,  which 
means  to  oversjrrcad  a  large   space   of  ground  by  a  vast 
population,  and  this  is  the  same   with  H^1^  Shilo,  '  the 
Messiah,''  the  angel  sent  to  conduct  the  Hebrews  to  Ca- 
naan :  u  and  unto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people 
be."      Gen.    xlix.    10.      Hence   the  Greeks    say,    that 
Silenus  was  the  great  instructer  of  Bacchus — In  the  my- 
thology, Silenus  is  employed  in  treading  out  the  gTapes ; 
which   is  the  same  as  is  said  of  Shilo.    Gen.    xlix.    1 L 
**  and  his  clothes  in  the  blood  of  grapes." — Thev  make 
9* 


102  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Silenus  to  drink  wine,  and  to  feed  on  milk  ;  the  same  is 
recorded  of  Shilo.  "  His  eyes  shall  be  red  with  wine, 
and  his  teeth  white  with  milk." 

Pan,  the  god  of  shepherds,  was  one  of  the  compan- 
ions of  Bacchus,  but  this  was  taken  from  the  Messiah, 
who  is  called  the  shepherd  of  Israel.  Silenus  not  only 
agrees  with  Messiah  in  name,  but  also  as  to  his  geneal- 
ogy. Diodorus  Siculus*  says,  "  the  first  that  ruled  at  Ni- 
si, was  Silenus,  whose  genealogy  is  unknown  by  all,  by 
reason  of  his  antiquity."  Thus  the  place  where  Silenus 
is  said  to  have  reigned,  was  Sent,  or  Nisi,  where  he  con- 
descended to  deliver  the  tables  of  the  law,  before  the 
sacred  altar,  Nisi,  in  the  temple  of  Jehovah.  We  cannot 
suppose,  as  some  have,  that  this  was  all  done  on  a  bar- 
ren, rugged  mountain,  in  the  open  air  :  the  city  of  Nisi, 
was  referred  to  by  Homer,  which  was  sacred  to  Bacchus, 
or  Moses  ;  consequently  at  this  very  distant  period,  near 
1200  years  before  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  we  have 
undeniable  proof,  that  in  the  very  neighbourhood  of 
mount  Sini,  was  the  city  Nisi,  which  was  of  sufficient 
consequence  to  be  noticed  by  Homer. 

It  must  appear  evident,  that  when  Moses  fled  from 
the  face  of  Pharaoh,  it  was  to  this  mountain,  or  city,  in 
Arabia,  where  he  resided  forty  years,  and  where  he  ac- 
quired a  knowledge  of  all  the  learning  of  the  Arabians, 
as  he  had,  by  dwelling  to  the  fortieth  year  of  his  life,  in 
his  native  country,  gained  a  knowledge  of  all  the  learn- 
ing of  the  Egyptians.  Now  as  the  Arabians  were,  at 
f  hat  period,  a  very  refined  and  scientific  nation,  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  conclude,  that  Moses,  who  was  the  kinsman 
of  Job,  the  then  reigning  king,  would  be  received  at  the 
Humean  court,  consistently  with  his  rank,  and  relation- 

1  h  ?■ 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 103 

ship,  as  also  in  their  colleges,  that  he  might  acquire  that 
learning  and  information,  so  necessary  for  the  important 
situation  he  was  intended  to  fill. 

In  short,  the  whole  of  the  mythology  is  taken  from 
the  scripture,  as  may  also  be  seen  in  the  fable  of  Cupid 
and  Psyche.  Psyche,  the  daughter  of  a  king,  and  the 
most  beautiful  female  in  the  world,  attracts  the  attention 
of  a  deity,  whom  the  mythologists  call  Cupid.  She  is 
carried  by  a  zephyr  to  a  most  magnificent  palace,  in  the 
midst  of  a  beautiful  garden,  where  she  has  been  inform- 
ed her  intended  husband  would  visit  her  in  the  evening, 
when  the  nuptials  were  to  be  celebrated.  She  retired, 
and  was  informed  by  invisible  agents,  that  he  is  only  to 
come  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  That  her  two  sisters 
visiting  her,  she  told  them  of  her  good  fortune,  viz.  that 
she  was  married  to  a  deity,  who  visited  her  every  night, 
but  that  she  had  never  seen  him. 

Her  sisters  being  envious  at  her  good  fortune,  inform- 
ed her,  that  as  the  oracle  had  said  she  was  not  to  be  mar- 
ried  to  any  one  of  mortal  descent,  but  to  a  being  fierce,  im- 
placable and  malignant  as  a  viper,  a  monster  terrible  on 
earth,  and  formidable  to  the  gods  themselves,  that  under 
the  appearance  of  a  young  man  in  the  bloom  of  life,  she 
was  actually  married  to  a  monstrous  serpent.  It  is  said, 
that  they  induced  her  to  break  the  agreement  made  be- 
tween her  and  her  husband,  which  was,  that  she  was  never 
to  see  him  till  she  was  translated  to  the  gods  and  god- 
desses. .They  advised  her  to  rise  in  the  night  when  he 
was  asleep,  to  procure  a  light,  and  to  destroy  him,  that 
she  might  save  herself,  as  in  the  end  he  would  devour 
her.  Thus,  having  taken  their  advice,  she  arose,  and 
taking  the  light  she  had  concealed,  discovered  by  his 
wings,  and  the  bow  and  arrows  which  lay  by  the  side  of 
the  nuptial  bed,  that  he  was  Cupid.      But  being  over- 


104  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

come  by  his  beauty,  and  lost  in  contemplation,  she  let 
fall  from  the  lamp,  a  drop  of  scalding  oil  on  his  shoulder, 
which  waked  him.  Finding-  she  had  broken  her  faith, 
the  offended  god  sprung  up,  spread  his  wings,  and  carry- 
ing her  up  with  him  a  little,  let  her  fall  softly  on  a  cy- 
press tree,  the  emblem  of  his  dying  affection.  Psyche 
having  transgressed,  is  appointed  by  Venus,  (in  order  to 
reconcile  her)  the  celestial  goddess,  and  mother  of  Cupid, 
to  perform  certain  labours,  which  appear  impossible  for 
her  to  accomplish,  in  which,  however,  she  is  assisted  by 
invisible  agents.  That  at  length  the  period  of  her  trials 
and  sufferings  being  over,  Mercury  was  dispatched  by 
the  gods  to  bring  her  to  heaven,  where,  on  drinking  am- 
brosia, she  became  immortal,  and  her  celestial  marriage 
with  Cupid  was  celebrated. 

The  whole  of  this  fable,  must  appear  to  the  intelli- 
gent reader,  to  be  taken  from  the  scripture  account  of 
the  fall  of  man,  a  personification  of  the  intercourse  first 
established  between  God  and  the  church.  First,  the 
mythology  states,  that  Psyche  was  the  daughter  of  I 
king,  and  the  most  beautiful  female  in  the  world.  Eve 
was  the  jnost  beautiful  of  h-er  sex,  and  the  daughter  of  God, 
created,  and  not  born  after  the  manner  of  men.  2d.  That 
Cupid  was  never  to  be  seen  by  Psyche,  on  earth,  and 
that  he  was  always  to  come  in  the  night ;  the  voice  of 
the  Lord  God  walked  (Heb.  went  forth)  in  the  garden,  in 
the  cool  of  the  day.  This  custom  of  the  bridegroom,  not 
being  permitted  to  see  his  bride  on  the  nuptial  night, 
was  a  very  ancient  one  at  the  time  of  Jacob,  which  was 
derived  from  the  most  ancient  times  before  the  patri- 
archs. 3d.  Psyche  was  placed  in  a  beautiful  garden  ; 
our  first  parents  were  placed  in  Eden.  4th.  That  the  ora- 
cle had  said,  Psyche  was  not  to  be  married  to  any  one  of 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  105 


mortal  descent ;  Satan,  who  had  presumed  to  be  the  oracle 
to  Eve,  told  her,  ye  shall  be  as  gods. 

5th.  Psyche  being  informed  by  her  envious  sisters, 
that  her  husband  was  a  monstrous  serpent  in  the  form  of 
a  young-  man,  breaks  the  solemn  agreement  that  was 
made  between  them,  which  dissolves  the  union,  and  she 
IS  Cast  out  of  the  garden  ;  Adam  and  Eve  disobeyed  the 
divine  command,  and,  by  listening  to  the  insinuations  of  the 
tempter,  were  driven  out  of  Eden. 

6th.  When  Psyche  had  been  unfaithful,  and  had  dis- 
covered Cupid  to  have  wings,  he  soared  away,  taking 
her  up  a  little,  and  then  dropped  her  ;  wings,  in  scrip- 
'ure,  eind  among  the  eastern  writers,  signify  the  affections, 
which  fly  to  the  object  of  their  love.  Adam  and  Eve  were 
made  sensible  of  the  affection  which  God  had  for  them, 
who,  though  he  could  not  permit  them  to  remain  in 
Eden,  mercifully  ^aved  them  from  destruction,  by  the 
promise  of  a  Pcedeemer. 

7th.  Tasks  and  labours  were  appointed  her  by  the 
goddess  Venus,  which,  if  she  could  perform,  she  was  to 
be  reconciled  to  Cupid;  one  of  which  was,  to  descend 
into  the  infernal  regions,  and  to  bring  back  in  a  casket, 
some  of  the  beauty  of  the  Stygian  queen.  This  agrees 
with  the  order  of  things  established  after  the  fall.  Man  had 
lost  his  innocence,  and  suffered  himself  to  be  governed  by 
passions,  contrary  to  the  heavenly  life,  in  which  he  was  cre- 
ated. The  divine  communication  having  been  with- 
drawn, a  medium  became  necessary ;  the  cherubim, 
and  flaming  sword,  the  symbols  of  the  divine  presence, 
were  placed  at  Eden  ;  "  tasks  and  labors,"1*'  rites  and  cer- 
emonies were  ordained  to  be  observed,  as  proof  of  true  re- 
pentance, by  which  that  mental  beauty,  or  state  of  things, 
was  to  be  obtained,  which  had  been  lost  by  disobeying  the 
divine  command. 


.06  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

8th.  Psyche  having  experienced  many  troubles,  and 
having  also  performed  the  tasks  and  labours  assigned  her, 
by  Venus,  Mercury  was  dispatched  to  bring  her  to 
heaven,  where  she  drank  ambrosia,  and  became  immor- 
tal ;  which  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  scripture, 
concerning  the  state  of  things  after  the  fall,  when  God 
established  the  covenant  with  Adam,  by  the  observance  of 
which,  after  he  had  manifested  his  obedience,  by  a  life  con- 
formable to  the  sacred  precepts,  he  7cas  to  obtain  eternal 
happiness. 

The  word  Cupid  is  derived  from  the  Hebrew  word 
1S5  Cuphid,  ;  to  deliver,^  with  5  caph  prefixed,  i.  e.  like 
the  deliverer  from  evil.  Psyche  is  derived  from  p|D3 
Pasche,  '  to  pass  from  side  to  side,''  signifying  the  state  of 
man,  after  the  fall,  who  had  passed  from  a  state  of  per- 
fection to  imperfection.  Hesiod,  the  most  ancient  theo- 
logian among  the  Greeks,  who  lived.  1200  years  before 
Christ,  says,  that  "  Cupid  was  produced,  or  manifested, 
at  the  same  time  with  Chaos,  and  the  Earth,"  and  it 
must  be  allowed,  that  this  first  going  forth  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  create,  was  the  first  manifestation  of  his  love 
for  man.  The  same  writer  also  says,  that  "  the  prime- 
val people  always  understood  by  the  word  "is^  Cuphid, 
'  heavenly  love.'' 

Jupiter  was  their  principal  god  ;  to  him  they  attrib- 
uted the  origin  of  the  world  ;  even  in  the  time  of  Homer, 
they  styled  him,  "  the  father  of  the  gods  and  men.'' 
The  word  Jupiter  is  a  compound  word  from  Jao,  so  call- 
ed by  Diodorus,  from  Jehovah,  and  pater,  c  father,*  i.  e» 
Jehovah  the  Father.  They  believed  that  he  alone  pos- 
sessed the  attributes  of  omniscience,  omnipresence,  and 
omnipotence  ;  and  represented  him  as  descending  on,  and 
shaking  the  mountain  Olympus,  when  he  threatened  his 
rebellious  offspring  with  destruction.     But  this  is  taken 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIO-Y-.  10; 


from  the  awful  and  majestic  descent  of  God,  on  mount 
Sinai,  which  they  likened  to  the  mountain  Olympus. 
This  circumstance,  when  their  descendants  fell  into  idol- 
atry, Was  believed  to  have  taken  place  on  this  mountain : 
hence  they  called  him  Jupiter  Olympus,  or  the  Olympian 
Jupiter,  in  imitation  of  the  descent  of  God  on  Sinai.  Thus 
have  the  law-givers  in  different  nations,  who  wished  to 
make  their  laws  revered,  pretended  to  have  received 
them  from  some  god,  or  goddess,  as  Numa  from  Egeria  ; 
Zaleucus  from  Minerva  ;  Lycurgus  from  Apollo  ;  and  Mi- 
nos from  Jupiter.  Hence  it  appears,  that  the  history  of 
the  twelve  tribes  of  the  Hebrews,  laid  the  foundation  of 
twelve  sects  among  the  Greeks,  each  sect  having  their 
idol. 

In  the  mythology  it  is  also  said,  that  Mercury  was 
born  in  Egypt ;  that  he  was  the  secretary  of  Bacchus, 
and  the  messenger  of  the  gods,  and  that  with  his  cadu- 
cous, or  rod,  around  which  were  two  serpents,  he  could 
perform  wonderful  things.  But  it  is  plain,  by  comparing 
these  things  with  the  facts  recorded  in  the  bible,  that  the 
true  Mercury  was  Aaron,  for  Aaron  was  born  in  Egypt, 
and  was  the  messenger  from  God  and  Moses,  to  Pharaoh. 
The  caduceus,  or  rod,  around  which  were  two  serpents, 
is  in  perfect  agreement  with  the  rod,  which  was  cast 
down  before  Pharaoh  ;  and  which,  with  the  rod  of  the 
Magicians,  produced  two  serpents  ;  but  the  serpent  of 
Moses,  swallowed  the  other  serpent  rod  of  Jannes  and 
Jambres,  the  magicians  who  opposed  Moses.  This  was 
the  origin  of  the  two  serpents,  twisted  round  the  rod  of 
the  heathen  Mercury. 

Hercules  is  said  to  have  fought  against  Typhosus, 
and  the  rest  of  the  giants,  by  the  command  of  the  gods : 
thus  it  is  also  written,  that  Joshua  fought  by  the  com- 
mand of  God,  against  the  Canaanites,  men  of  great  stat- 


108 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

ure,  the  sons  of  Anak.  Vossius  says,  this  oriental  Her- 
cules, for  many  ages  more  ancient  than  the  Theban,  was 
Joshua,  who  made  war  with  the  Canaanites. 

The  ancient  Grecian  Hercules,  appears  evidently  to 
have  been  Joshua.  The  Greeks  worshipped  the  orb  of 
the  sun,  in  Hebrew  Din  Heres,  i.  e.  '  burning.'*  Hercules 
is  a  Greek  word,  the  same  with  'HgcocXeo$  i.  e.  '  Hera's 
glory,1  which  in  Hebrew  is  pTin  Horin,  l  Chiefs,  Princes, 
Heroes.''  Eccles.  xi.  17 —  fVfin  JD  sons  of  princes  ;  and 
thus  he  was  called  by  them,  the  glory  of  the  sun,  which 
was  worshipped  by  them,  and  the  people  of  Canaan. 

It  further  appears,  that  the  ancient  Hercules  was 
Joshua.  Lucian*  says,  "  the  Celti  call  Hercules,  in  their 
native  tongue,  Og-mius."  And  Dickinson  :|  uBut*'Oyft<os, 
Og-mius,  is  from  Og,  l  the  slain  giant ;'  '*  for  as  the 
Greeks  called  Apollo,  from  the  slain  dolphin  Ae*<ptviov; 
so  Hercules,  i.  e.  Joshua  was  called  vOy/os,  Ogius.  Bo- 
chartl  also  says,  that  Ogmius  is  a  Phoenician  or  Hebrew 
word,  from  l^jy  Ogmi,  '  to  be  grieved,  tortured,'1  says 
Parkhurst,  on  account  of  his  many  labours  and  suffering. 

It  is  said  in  the  mythology,  that  while  Hercules  was 
fighting,  he  was  assisted  by  Jupiter,  who  rained  hail- 
stones which  destroyed  great  numbers  of  them  :  the 
same  is  recorded  in  the  book  of  Joshua,  "the  Lord  cast 
doAvn  great  stones  from  heaven  upon  them,  unto  Azekah, 
and  they  died.*'  That  the  giant  Typhosus,  mentioned 
in  the  Grecian  mythology,  and  by  their  poets,  was  Og 
the  king  of  Bashan,  appears  from  unquestionable  au- 
thority.    This  word  in  Greek,  (the  language  in  which 

*  Lucian  in  Herein", 
r  Delphi  Phuenici.  c.  iv. 
t  Vol.  i.  633. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION.-.  JOi* 


the  heathens  wrote  their  mythology)  signifies  to  kindle 
or  smoke,  and  has  the  same  meaning  with  the  Hebrew 
word  Og,  to  bake,  to  burn ;  so  that  Typhosus  and  Og,  in 
both  languages  are  the  same.  That  Typhosus  and  Og 
were  only  different  names  for  the  same  person,  will  ap- 
pear from  Homer,  who,  speaking  of  Jupiter's  striking 
down  the  giant  Typhosus  with  his  thunder,  informs  us, 
>hat  the  chief  of  the  giants  had  his  bed  in  Aremis. 


In  Aremea  Typho'e  bed  remains.'1     Iliad. 


That  Aremea,  where  Homer  says,  "  the  giant's  bed 
remains,"  was  the  same  as  Syria,  is  certain.  Strabo* 
says,  "  by  the  Arimi,  they  understand  the  Syrians  now- 
called  Arami.  This  name,  as  is  observed  above,  instead 
of  Syria,  has  been  continued  in  the  English  translation 
of  the  bible,  to  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  where  Syria  is 
called  Aram,  and  the  Syrians  Arimeans.t  The  bed  of 
Typhosus,  therefore,  being  said  by  Homer  to  be  in  Are- 
mea, or  Syria,  is  in  perfect  agreement  with  the  account 
we  have  of  the  bed  of  Og,  Deut.  iii.  11.  "  For  only  Og 
king  of  Bashan  remained  of  the  remnant  of  the  giants  : 
behold,  his  bedstead  was  a  bedstead  of  iron.  Is  it  not  in 
Rabbath  of  the  children  of  Ammon?"  in  which  passage 
Aram,  or  Syria,  is  referred  to  as  above.  Hence  it  ap- 
pears evident,  that  the  true  Hercules  was  Joshua,  and 
(as  was  observed)  when  Homer  sung  the  war  of  the 
giants  with  the  gods,  he  borrowed  the  account  of  the  as- 
tonishing  transactions  of  the  Hebrew  leader  in  the  land 

•  lib.  13. 

+  Strabo.  1.  16. 
10 


llo  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION.- 


of  Canaan,  to  add  majesty  and  dignity  to  the  pages  of  the 
immortal  Iliad. 

It  is  also  said  in  the  mythology,  that  "  Hercules  and 
Bacchus  made  an  expedition  to  India ;"  but  as  we  know 
nothing  concerning  such  an  expedition  being  made  by 
Moses  and  Joshua,  to  that  part  of  the  world  which  we 
call  India  ;  this  seems  to  set  aside  all  that  has  been  said, 
to  prove,  that  the  ancient  Hercules  and  Bacchus,  were 
Joshua  and  Moses.  We  shall,  however,  easily  get  over 
this  difficulty,  by  proving  that  the  land  of  Canaan  was 
anciently  called  India. 

Vossius*  says,  "  the  ancients  called  all  parts  eastward 
of  the  Mediterranean  sea,  India."  This  also  appears 
from  Ovid,t  who  says,  "  Perseus  brought  Andromeda 
from  India."  But  Perseus  did  not  bring  his  wife  Androm- 
eda from  modern  India,  but  from  Joppa,  a  town  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  according  to  Strabo.J  Therefore  it  is 
evident,  that  the  expedition  which  Hercules  and  Bacchus 
are  said  to  have  made  to  India,  will  perfectly  agree  with 
ihe  expedition  of  Moses  and  Joshua,  to  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan. All  these  things  prove  to  a  demonstration,  that 
the  characters  of  the  heathen  gods,  (so  called)  as  well  as 
the  materials  for  framing  the  mythology,  were  taken  by 
the  compilers  of  the  religion  of  the  Greeks,  from  the, 
ancient  pages  of  the  bible. 

•  De  Idolat.  lib.  1.  c.  26. 
i  de  arte  Amandi. 
i  lib.  1. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  11) 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  ROMANS 

Was,  in  its  origin,  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  an* 
cient  Grecians  ;  for  they  believed  that  Jupiter,  i.  e.  Jao- 
pater,  or  Jehovah  the  father,  (as  above)  was  the  supreme 
of  all  the  gods.  Like  the  Greeks,  to  him  they  assigned 
all  the  attributes  of  the  God  of  heaven  ;  but  to  their  sub- 
ordinate gods,  or  rulers,  they  assigned  a  dominion  only 
over  certain  things.  Juno,  over  plenty  and  riches;  Ve- 
nus, beauty  ;  Minerva,  wisdom  ;  Vesta,  the  earth  ;  Ceres, 
corn  ;  Diana,  hunting  ;  Mars,  war  ;  Mercury,  eloquence  ; 
Vulcan,  fire;  Apol-o,  physic  ;  Neptune,  the;ea;  Janus, 
husbandry ;  Bacchus,  wine ;  and  Saturn,  time.  These 
were  their  subordinate  gods,  or  governors  ;  for  this  word 
was  originally  given  to  men  among  the  Romans,  as  EI- 
hoim  was  among  the  Hebrews. 

These  subordinate  gods,  in  their  origin,  were  only 
men  who  had  the  government,  or  chief  management  of 
all  those  departments  of  the  state,  signified  by  the  name 
so  given.  Thus  they  would  call  among  us,  a  secretary 
at  war,  Mars  ;  the  lord  chancellor,  being  at  the  head  of 
the  department  for  eloquence,  Mercury  ;  the  first  lord  of 
the  admiralty,  Neptune,  who  assumes  the  dominion  of 
the  sea ;  the  president  of  the  college  of  physic,  Apollo  ; 
the  president  of  the  board  of  agriculture,  Janus,  because  he 
is  presumed  to  attend  particularly  to  the  encouragement 
of  husbandry.  This  latter  was  strikingly  significant ;  for 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  he  is  described  with  two 
faces ;  with  one  face  on  the  first  of  January,  (which 
comes  from  Janus,)  he  looked  forward  to  the  new  year, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  looked  back  with  the  other 
face  on  the  good  or  bad  management  of  the  agriculture 


112  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS 

of  the  old  year;  they  therefore  symbolically  prefigured 
him  with  a  second  face,  at  the  back  of  the  head.  The 
ranger  of  the  forests,  Diana  ;  the  board  of  commissioners 
for  the  land-tax,  Vesta  ;  the  primate  of  England,  Minerva, 
i.  e.  wisdom,  because  he  is  at  the  head  of  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal department,  for  the  regulation  of  the  whole,  and  the 
promulgation  of  religion,  which  must  be  allowed  to  teach 
i.he  only  true  wisdom.  The  society  for  the  suppression  of 
vice,  Venus,  because  among  the  wise  ancients,  virtue  on- 
ly was  considered  to  constitute  true  beauty.  The  man- 
ager of  the  corh  department,  Ceres  ;  the  commissioner  to 
regidate  the  importation  of  wines,  and  the  regulator  of  the 
vineyards  in  countries  where  the  vintage  is  produced, 
Bacchus  ;  the  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  Juno  ;  the  army, 
by  which  the  whole  order  is  defended,  Vulcan  ;  because 
by  lire,  arms  for  the  defence  of  the  country  are  forged  ; 
and  time,  Saturn  ;  because  by  time,  all  these  things  were 
brought  to  perfection. 

It  appears  sufficiently  evident,  that  the  sacrificial 
worship  of  the  Hebrews,  was  in  a  great  measure  adopted 
by  the  ancient  Romans.  In  their  mythology,  a  bull  was 
ihe  proper  sacrifice  to  Jupiter;  the  same  animal  was 
appointed  in  the  sacrifice  for  a  peace-offering  to  God, 
Exod.  xxix.  1.  Shur,  in  Hebrew,  which  means  a  bull, 
:s  rendered,  a  bullock,  and  in  other  places,  an  ox ;  but  as 
nothing  mutilated  was  permitted  to  be  offered  in  sacri- 
fice, it  should  have  been  rendered  bull,  as  it  is  in  the  nrv- 
ihology.  An  oak  in  the  mythology  was  said  to  be  sa- 
cred to  Jupiter  :  so  the  patriarchs  worshipped  God,  in 
oak  groves,  and  under  oak  trees,  in  allusion  to  its  dura- 
bility above  all  other  trees  ;  and  so  by  it  they  emblemat- 
ically represented  the  eternity  of  God. 

They  also  sacrificed  other  animals  to  Jupiter,  which 
were  commanded  to  be  sacrificed  among  the  Hebrews, 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIO  113 


as  well  as  the  bull.  Such  as  the  ram,  the  goat,  the  lamb, 
the  dove.  By  an  eagle,  the  king  of  birds,  they  repre- 
sented the  majesty  and  supremacy  of  God.  The  cock 
was  with  them  assigned  to  the  sun,  which  was  taken  from 
the  testament,  where  he  is  noticed  by  Christ,  on  account 
of  his  peculiar  property,  by  which  he  gives  notice  of  the 
various  watches  of  the  night. 

Mourning  women  were  hired  by  them  to  mourn  for, 
and  sing  the  virtues  of  the  deceased  ;  and  it  was  account- 
ed the  greatest  of  all  misfortunes  that  could  befal  them, 
the  greatest  of  all  punishments,  if  at  any  time,  they  were 
in  danger  of  being  denied  the  honour  of  burial.  These 
customs  were  also  taken  from  the  ancient  Hebrews,  Jer. 
xxii.  18,  19.  "Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  concern- 
ing Jehoiakim  the  son  of  Josiah  king  of  Judah,  They 
shall  not  lament  for  him,  saying,  Ah  my  brother  !  or,  Ah 
sister  !  they  shall  not  lament  for  him,  saying,  Ah  Lord  ! 
or  Ah  his  glory  !  He  shall  be  buried  with  the  burial  of 
an  ass,  drawn  and  cast  forth  beyond  the  gates  of  Jerusa- 
lem." ^ 

In  the  time  of  Numa,  the  worship  of  the  Romans  ap- 
pears to  have  been  more  consistent  with  reason,  and  the 
religion  of  the  bible,  than  it  was  in  after-ages.  One  of 
their  offerings  consisted  of  corn  and  cakes,  besprinkled 
with  salt,  which  was  similar  to  the  offerings  among  the 
Hebrews.  The  vestals,  afterwards  called  nuns,  were 
chosen  to  perform  certain  services  in  their  temples. 
This  custom  began  with  the  daughter  of  Jephthah,  who 
was  not  sacrificed,  but  agreeably  to  his  vow,  was  appoint- 
ed to  a  certain  office  in  the  temple.  <^  This,  according 
to  the  language  of  Jephthah,  when  he  said,  shall  be  the 
LortVs,  meant,  that  she  should  be  dedicated  to  the  Lord, 
by  leaving  all  worldly  concerns,  and  by  devoting  her 
whole  life  to  the  service  of  God  in  the  temple.  ) 
10*  */ 


114  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION 

Such  was  the  high  opinion  the  ancient  Romans  enter- 
tained concerning  chastity,  that  if  any  of  Ihese  vestal 
virgins  were  known  to  commit  fornication,  they  were 
buried  alive. 

The  priests  of  Jupiter,  jvere  originally  twelve,  ac- 
cording to  (he  number  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  He- 
brews. They  also  had  a  high  priest,  a  sovereign  pon- 
tiff, who,  like  Aaron,  had  the  supreme  government  of  all 
things,  appertaining  to  religion:  and  whose  opinion  was 
conclusive.  So  sacred  did  they  hold  the  office  of  their 
great  pontiff,  that  any  criminal  who  fled  to  him  for  pro- 
tection, if  his  crime  had  merited  death,  obtained  a  res- 
pite for  a  considerable  time,  and  if  the  crime  was  not 
capital,  he  frequently  escaped  punishment.  This  custom 
was  taken  from  the  bible,  Avhere  we  read  that  the  cities 
of  refuge  were  appointed  for  the  man-slayer. 

Varro,  and  other  writers  inform  us,  that  there  were 
/  above  thirty  thousand  different  idols  worshipped  in  Eu- 
!  rope  ;  thai  a  god  wras  assigned  to  every  thing  in  nature  ; 
\  as  to  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  oceans,  gulfs,  straits,  lakes,  riv- 
ers, mountains,  trees,  plants :  also  to  all  the  passions  and 
affections  of  man,  good  and  evil :  to  which,  like  the  de- 
scendants of  the  ancient  Grecians,  they  paid  divine  hon- 
ours. But  Varro,  and  other  writers,  who  have  given  us 
this  information,  have  confined  themselves  to  the  idolatry 
of  the  Romans,  as  it  was  practiced  at  the  time  of  the  dis- 
persion of  the  Jews;  at  which  period,  pagan  idolatry 
was  the  profession  of  the  whole  Roman  empire.  Had 
they  given  us  an  account  of  the  origin  of  the  multitu- 
dinous worship,  which,  by  the  authority  of  the  Roman  gov- 
ernment, was  the  established  worship  over  Europe  at 
ihe  coming  of  Christ,  they  would  have  informed  us,  that 
ihe  most  ancient  Romans  attributed  the  minute  affairs  of 
Tt.an,  and  all  the  operations  of  nature,  in  all  her  variety 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  115 

of  manifestation,  to  the  superintending  providence  of  one 
Supreme  Being.  This  knowledge  they  had  from  the 
ancient  Greeks,  who  received  their  theology  from  the 
Cretans  ;  the  Cretans  from  the  Phoenicians  ;  the  Phojtii- 
cians  from  the  Hebrews  ;  the  Hebrews  from  the  Egyp- 
tians;  and  the  Egyptians  from  the  Antediluvians.  For 
we  cannot  suppose  that  men  of  refined  sentiments,  who 
for  learning,  eloquence,  and  the  polite  arts,  have  been 
models  for  imitation  to  all  Europe,  and  whose  literary 
works  are  retained  in  our  colleges,  as  masterpieces  of 
composition,  could  be  so  far  lost  to  a  sense  of  right  rea- 
son, as  to  worship  oceans,  rivers,  trees,  mountains,  and 
the  various  passions  and  affections  of  the  mind,  as  such 
only  :  but  as  symbolical  representations  of  those  passions 
and  propensities,  of  which  they  were  the  fittest  repre- 
sentatives in  outward  nature,  according  to  the  custom  of 
the  Hebrews,  and  the  ancient  people  before  them. 
/  Numa  had  such  a  rational  view  of  the  divine  perfections, 
/  that  he  would  not  suffer  the  Romans  to  make  graven 
images,  to  represent  that  Being,  who  is  infinite  and  in-, 
I   comprehensible. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  CHINESE. 

The  theology  of  the  ancient  Chinese,  who  lived  be- 
fore the  time  of  Moses,  was,  as  to  its  juridical  and  moral 
institutes,  much  the  same  as  is  contained  in  the  ancient 
part  of  the  bible.  But  their  successors,  who  lived  soon 
after  the  time  of  Moses,  followed  the  order  of  the  He- 
brews, by  dividing  the  Shu-king,  or  sacred  book,  into  five 
parts.  They  seem  to  have  approved  of  the  Pentateuch. 
The  laws  and  precepts  of  their  Shu-king  are  much  the 


116  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


same  as  the  sacred  code  of  the  Samaritans,  and  of  their 
Persian  neighbours.  This  book  is  held  in  the  highest 
estimation  among  them  for  knowledge,  concerning  the 
origin  of  the  world,  the  fall  of  man,  and  the  worship  of 
one  God. 

According  to  the  best  information  we  have  received, 
this  book  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Chinese  long  be- 
fore the  dispersion  of  the  Jews ;  in  which  is  preserved 
the  history  of  the  serpent,  and  the  fall  of  man.  It  is  thus 
translated  in  Brudinot's  Age  of  Revelation,  p.  317.  "  The 
rebellious  and  perverse  dragon  suffers  by  his  pride  ; 
his  ambition  blinded  him  ;  he  would  mount  up  to  heaven, 
but  he  was  thrown  down  upon  earth,  and  lost  eternal  life." 
The  Chinese  were  evidently  in  existence  as  a  nation, 
before  the  time  of  Moses,  and  appear  to  be  descended 
from  Joktan,  the  brother  of  Peleg,  in  whose  time  the 
earth  was  divided,  which,  as  has  been  observed,  was  not 
a  division  of  the  earth,  but  a  division  of  the  people. 
Peleg  and  his  descendants  continued  in  the  worship  of 
the  true  God,  and  in  the  belief  of  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah ;  but  Joktan  and  his  descendants  retained  the  wor- 
ship of  the  patriarchs  before  Noah,  yet  did  not  believe 
in  the  coming  of  a  Messiah.  That  these  descendants  of 
Joktan  peopled  China,  and  the  regions  of  the  east,  ap- 
pears sufficiently  plain  from  the  ancient  part  of  the  bible. 
Eber,  the  great-grandson  of  Shem,  was  the  father  of 
Joktan,  and  it  is  expressly  said,  that  the  descendants  of 
Joktan  peopled  the  eastern  parts  of  the  world  after  the 
flood,  Gen.  x.  29,  30.  "  All  these  were  the  sons  of  Jok- 
tan, and  their  dwelling  was  from  Mesha,  as  thou  goest 
unto  Sephar,  a  mount  of  the  east."  Now  as  China  lies 
directly  east  of  that  part  of  the  world  where  the  poster- 
ity of  Eber  settled,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  de- 
scendants of  Joktan,  the  brother  of  Peleg,  who  settled 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  117 

to  the  east  of  his  land,  were  the  people  from  whom  the 
Chinese  are  descended.  So  that  we  find  there  is  some 
ground,  for  their  supposing-  that  the  Chinese  nation  is 
one  of  the  most  ancient  nations. 

In  one  of  these  five  books,  which  are  the  sacred 
books  of  the  Chinese,  a  description  is  given  of  the  Su- 
preme Being,  as  follows  :  "He  is  independent,  Almigh- 
ty— a  Being  who  knows  all  things — the  secrets  of  the 
heart  are  not  hidden  from  Him.'"  These  few  words. 
comprehend  all  the  perfections  of  Deity,  his  omnipotence* 
omniscience,  and  omnipresence. 

The  patriarchal  form  of  government  was  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  ancient  Chinese:  the  emperor  was  the 
priest,  and  officiated  at  various  times  in  the  year,  at  the 
great  assembly  of  the  empire,  when  the  nobles,  and 
rhose  in  authority,  constituted  this  august  audience.  At 
ihis  grand  national  assembly,  the  emperor  offered  sacri- 
fices according  to  the  Shu-king,  or  Jive  sacred  books, 
which  had  a  wonderful  effect  in  establishing  the  worship 
<f  God  in  that  vast  empire, 


THE  MODERN  CHINESE 

Are  supposed  to  be  gross  idolaters,  though  this 
charge  has  never  been  substantiated.  It  is  unjust  to 
charge  them  with  idolatry,  because  images  of  the  human 
form  are  in  their  temples ;  with  as  much  justice  may  we 
declare,  that  the  ancient  Hebrews  were  idolaters,  be- 
cause the  figure  of  a  man.  a  lion,  an  ox,  and  an  eagle,  or 
the  compound  form  of  the  cherubim,  were  found  in  their 
temples,  as  I  have  before  observed.  It  is  unreasonable 
to  suppose,  that,  entertaining  such  high   and  just  senti- 


118  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

I  ~  ■ 

ments  as  are  contained  in  their  Shu-king,  or  five  holy 
books,  concerning  the  unity  and  perfections  of  God,  they 
can  possibly  worship  images,  stocks  and  stones,  as  the 
creators  of  the  world,  and  the  immediate  superintendants 
of  a  divine  providence,  in  which  they  believe. 

Their  five  sacred  books,  or  Shu-king,  inculcate  vir- 
tue and  condemn  vice ;  they  declare  that  every  good 
thought  is  given  by  Sha7ig-ti,  i.  e.  the  God  of  heaven, 
who  rewards  the  good,  and  punishes  the  evil ;  and  that 
he  is  ever  ready  to  afford  his  influence,  to  all  who  are 
willing  to  become  virtuous.  It  is  therefore  impossible 
to  suppose,  that  this  ancient  and  enlightened  race,  whose 
vast  population  is  almost  incredible,  and  who  have  been 
acquiring  information  ever  since  the  flood,  should  be  so 
deficient  concerning  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme 
Being,  as  has  been  represented  by  some  writers. 

The  sovereign  pontiff  of  this  vast  empire  is  called  the 
Grand  Lama,  whose  residence  is  at  Thibet,  in  Tartary, 
at  Patoli,  and  his  palace  on  a  mountain,  near  Lahassa. 
The  exterior,  or  plain,  near  the  mountain,  is  said  to  be 
inhabited  by  twenty  thousand  lamas,  i.  e.  priests,  who, 
according  to  their  dignity,  are  placed  near  the  palace  of 
the  Grand  Lama.  He  is  believed  to  be  God's  vicegerent 
on  earth,  and  to  have  immediate  communication  with 
Fo,  i.  e.  the  Deity  ;  who,  dwelling  in  him,  gives  him  all 
knowledge,  and  makes  him  perfectly  holy.  The  empe- 
ror acknowledges  the  pontiff  as  supreme,  and  receives  a 
nuncio  from  Thibet  ;  who  resides  in  the  imperial  palace 
at  Pekin.  Such  is  the  veneration  for  this  high  priest, 
that  when  he  condescends  to  be  seen,  it  is  at  the  further 
end  of  a  superb  hall  of  his  palace,  hy  the  light  of  numer- 
ous lamps.  The  people,  who  are  fortunate  enough  to 
be  admitted,  prostrate  themselves  before  him.  The 
Grand  Lama,  or  supreme  spiritual  monarch,  being  so  far 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  ;j  9 

elevated  above  all  others,  never  condescends  to  speak 
to  kings  ;  but  they  are  frequently  permitted  to  prostrate 
themselves  at  his  feet,  to  receive  the  benediction  of  his 
hand.  All  things  of  a  temporal  nature  being  left  to  the 
lamas,  the  communication  of  the  Grand  Lama  is  only 
with  the  high  dignified  lamas ;  and,  through  them,  in 
the  supreme  conclave,  his  unalterable  decrees  are  com- 
municated to  the  inferior  orders  of  lamas,  who  circulate 
them  throughout  this  vast  empire  ;  and  also,  through  a 
great  part  of  India,  Bucharia,  Ava,  Siam,  Japan,  Mongu- 
lia,  Tartary,  the  kingdom  of  Cassimere,  &c. 

Whenever  the  Grand  Lama  is  approached,  it  is  with 
the  most  profound  reverence,  even  by  the  greatest  mon- 
archs,  who,  if  he  deigns  to  lay  his  hand  on  their  heads, 
believe  that  all  their  sins  are  forgiven.  The  Pope  of 
Rome,  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  and  the  Zerif  of 
Mecca,  in  the  plenitude  of  all  their  spiritual  grandeur, 
will  bear  no  comparison  with  this  imperial  pontiff,  who 
is  held  in  boundless  veneration,  by  one  third  part  of  the 
population  of  the  whole  world.  This  supreme  high 
priest,  who  dwells  in  awful  solitude  in  his  temple  at  Pa- 
toli,  almost  inaccessible,  surrounded  by  a  display  of  the 
most  refined  external  sanctity,  unknown  in  any  age  or 
nation  ;  agreeably  to  the  institutes  of  his  profession,  at- 
tempts to  represent  the  divine  state  of  tranquillity,  of 
the  Divine  Being  ;  who,  in  his  eternal  habitation  above 
the  heavens,  fills  all  things. 

In  a  great  variety  of  particulars,  the  worship  of  the 
lamas  resembles  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic.  They  sing 
the  service, — use  holy  water — give  alms,  and  offer 
prayers  for  the  dead — make  use  of  beads — have  confes- 
sors who  ordain  penance  ;  have  a  vast  number  of  con- 
vents, where  reside  upwards  of  30,000  priests,  who  have 
different  monastic  orders,  and  who  take  three  vows; 


\-20  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

viz.  obedience,  poverty,  and  charity, — they  wear  the  mitre 
and  cap,  after  the  manner  of  the  Catholic  bishops.  The 
Grand  Lama,  when  he  condescends  to  be  seen,  sits  cross- 
legged,  covered  with  gold  and  precious  stones. 

It  is  clear,  however,  that  the  great  degree  of  sanc- 
tity which  has  been,  and  is  now,  attributed  to  the  office 
of  the  Mahometan  and  Pagan  high  priests,  has  been 
taken  from  the  scripture  account  of  the  priesthood  of 
Aaron,  who  only  was  allowed  to  enter  into  the  holy  of 
holies,  to  make  an  atonement  for  the  people. 

There  are  three  sects  of  religious  professors  in  Chi- 
na, viz.  the  followers  of  Kungfutsi,  i.  e.  Confucius  ;  Foe 
and  Lao-kiu n. 

The  followers  of  Confucius,  are  persons  of  dignity, 
and  the  learned.  They  worship  one  Supreme  Being, 
for  whom  they  have  the  highest  veneration,  and  teach 
the  necessity  of  strict  moralit}'.  They  believe  in  a  su- 
perintending Providence,  that  God  is  infinite,  that  our 
thoughts  are  not  hidden  from  him,  that  he  rewards  the 
truly  good  with  eternal  happiness,  and  that  vice  is  pun- 
ished in  the  future  state.  Mr.  Maurice,  in  his  Indian 
Antiquities,  says,  that  Confucius  strictly  forbade  the  use 
of  images  of  the  Deity,  and  the  deification  of  dead  men; 
that  in  his  dying  moments,  he  encouraged  his  disciples, 
by  predicting  that — Si  fam  yeu  xim  gin  ;  in  occidente  erit 
sanctus,  in  the  west  the  Holy  One  would  appear.  Hence^ 
he  continues,  it  appears  probable  that  he  was  enabled 
by  divine  inspiration,  to  predict  the  advent  of  the  Messi- 
ah in  Palestine,  which  is  the  most  westerly  country  in 
Asia.     See  Indian  Antiq.  Vol.  v.  p.  80'3. 

In  a  treatise  lately  published  by  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety, I  find  some  things  which  appear  of  such  impor- 
tance, as  to  be  worth  communicating.  This  book  con- 
tains "  selections  from  sacred  books,  which  are  mosi 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS 


generally  read  by  the  people  of  the  vast  empire  of  Chi- 
na, and  which  are  regarded  as  the  elements  of  morals 
and  liberal  knowledge  ;"  translated  by  a  gentleman  of 
established  character  and  talent,  now  residing  in  China 
as  a  missionary. 

The  title  of  the  book,  in  the  Chinese  tongue,  is  Pusa. 
which  relates  to  the  revelation  of  the  religion  of  Foe. 

It  will  appear,  I  think,  sufficiently  evident,  that  the 
whole  has  reference  to  the  revelation  of  the  divine  will 
at  Sinai,  and  to  the  coming  of  Messiah.  The  book  Pu- 
sa says,  "  He  communicated  the  four  truths,  and  the 
lazv  returning  in  a  circle  ;"  i.  e.  the  four  truths,  or  four 
bonks,  which  is  understood,  u  and  the  law  returning  in  a 
circle  ;"  viz.  The  book  of  Deuteronomy,  which  is  only 
a  repetition  of  the  law  delivered  to  Moses. 

Again,  "  He  (Pu-sa)  remained  in  the  world,  and 
spoke  of  his  law  forty  years,"  which  agrees  with  the 
bible.  Moses  received  the  law  at  Sinai,  when  he  led 
the  Hebrews  from  Egypt,  and  he  taught  them  this  law 
forty  years. 

Again  in  the  book  of  Pu-sa,  M  At  the  same  time,"  Foe 
further  added,  "  I  now  take  my  robe,  composed  of  gol- 
den threads,  and  deliver  it  to  you,  that  you  may  place  it 
in  the  sanctuary  of  Deity,  and  preserve  it  from  injury 
till  the  age  of  mercy  shall  arrive,  when  Foe  shall  ap- 
pear."'' So  this  perfectly  agrees  with  the  description  of 
the  priestly  habit,  which  was  given  to  Moses,  to  be  pla- 
ced, as  the  Chinese  phrase  is,  "  in  the  sanctuary  of  Dei- 
ty, to  be  preserved  frcm  injury  till  Foe  should  appear. v 
Nothing  can  be  more  evident,  than  the  meaning  and  ap- 
plication of  this  passage,  namely,  that  the  garment,  or 
;t  robe  composed  of  golden  threads,  which  was  to  be 
preserved  from  injury,  till  the  age  of  mercy  should  ar- 
rive, when  Foe  should  appear,"   was  the  robe  of  Aaron 


U-2  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


the  high  priest.  This,  in  plain  terms,  means  that  the 
Mosaic  dispensation,  with  the  rites  and  ceremonies  should 
continue  until  Messiah,  i.  e.  Foe,  should  appear." 

The  word  Foe  appears  to  he  derived  from  the  He- 
brew word  Ji}?3  Phoe,  see  Isaiah  ch.  xlii.  v.  14,  HUSK 
'- 1  will  cryf  saith  the  Lord  to  the  prophet ;  a  customary 
phrase  in  scripture,  when  God  redressed  the  grievances 
of  his  people. 

Pu-sa  is  literally  derived  from  JVDS  Pusah,  which 
means  an  embroidered  robe,  such  as  was  worn  by  the 
priests,  to  typify  the  various  glories  and  graces  irradiat- 
ing from  the  divine  light.*  Joseph  wore  an  embroider- 
ed coat ;  and  as  it  is  certain  that  the  birthright,  conse- 
quently the  priesthood,  was  at  this  time  confined  to  Jo- 
seph, Jacob's  first-born  by  Rachel  ;  so  it  was  put  on  him 
to  signify  his  right  to  the  priesthood.  In  like  manner,  it 
was  worn  by  the  priests  of  other  nations,  as  was  the  cus- 
tom from  the  most  ancient  time,  when  the  promise  of 
Messiah  was  given.  When  the  Hebrews  went  into 
Egypt,  Joseph,  who  married  the  daughter  of  the  priest 
of  0»,  still  wore  this  emblem  of  the  divine  favour,  and  of- 
ficiated as  a  priest  among  his  people  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  That  Joseph  officiated,  agreeably  to  his  birth- 
right, as  a  priest  among  his  people  in  Egypt,  is  clear  not 
only  in  the  translation,  but  much  more  so  in  the  original, 
which  signifies  that  he  was  the  representative  of  the  Shep- 
herd, the  stone  of  Israel.     Gen.  xlix.  24. 

This  word,  therefore,  was  used  by  other  nations,  and 
with  propriety  applied  to  Moses,  who  was  the  great 
high-priest  of  God,  before  the  order  was  changed  and 
vested  in  the  descendants  of  Aaron.  From  which,  it 
appears,  that  Pu-sa  was  Moses,  to  whom  Foe  gave  the 

*  Parkhurst. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  1TJ 


dispensation^  which  was  to  endure  until  "  the  age  of  mer- 
cy should  arrive  ;"  and  that  Foe  n-as  the  true  Messiah, 
who,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  came  and  gave  his  last  dis- 
pensation, which  may  be  truly  called,  "  the  age  of  mer- 
cy."    The  book  Pu-sa  concludes  by  asserting,  that  Foe 
was  anciently  understood  by  the  Chinese  to  possess  those 
attributes  which  are  only   applicable  to  Divinity  him- 
self: "  Foe  is  capable  of  endless  transformation.     There 
is  no  place  to  which  he  cannot  go  ;  he  can  understand  all 
things :"  consequently,  it  will  appear,  that  this  ancient 
Chinese  collection,  which  is  translated  by  the  above- 
named  gentleman,  and  published  with  the  sanction  of  the 
Missionary^  Societ}',  is,  as  to  meaning  and  application, 
Moses  speaking  in  the  Chinese  language.     And  when  these 
things  are  thus  explained,  agreeably  to  the  manners,  and 
usages  of  this  vast  population,  consistently  with  their 
own  writings,  it  will  lay  a  firm  foundation  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  sacred  scriptures,  which  are  now  disseminat- 
ing among  this  people. 

The  doctrine  of  a  trinity  is  very  obvious  in  their 
writings  :  "  They  speak  of  three  appearances  of  Fo ; 
the  first,  Naiwno-o-mi-toe-fo,  '  who  presided  over  the 
state  of  things,  that  preceded  the  present  heaven  and 
earth.'  The  second,  Nan-mo-she-kia-meu-ni-wen-fo  ;  '  the 
lord  of  religion  during  the  middle  heaven;'  that  is,  the 
present  state  of  things.  The  third,  JVan-mo-mi-le-tsun-fo  ; 
fc  who  shall  appear  on  the  state  of  things  which  shall  suc- 
ceed the  present."  " 

The  last  chapter  of  the  Chinese  treatise  concludes 
with  a  highly  finished  period  concerning  the  infinite  and 
incomprehensible  Jehovah,  which  shows,  that  their  ideas 
of  God  are  consistent  with  the  pure  theology  of  ancient 
times 


124  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

How  great  is  the  supreme  Fo  !* 
Not  made  !  yet  existing  ! — 

The   end   of   creations   and   annihilations — and  then   be- 
ginning ! 
Before  the  earth,  and  before  the  heaven  ! 
Light  and  glory  unite  around  him  ! 

The  foregoing  names  are  said,  in  this  treatise,  to  be 
"  in  a  foreign  dialect,  and  unintelligible  to  the  Chinese." 
However,  by  a  close  examination,  I  find  that  they  are 
literally  derived  from  the  Hebrew.  The  first  signifies, 
as  above,  the  Divine  Being,  in  his  eternal  habitation  be- 
fore the  creation  of  this  world;  the  second,  the  Divine  Be- 
ing, after  creation,  proclaiming  himself  to  be  the  Lord  of  re- 
ligion, to  the  end  of  this  world:  the  third,  the  Divine  Be- 
ing who  shall  appear  in  the  state  of  things  which  is  to  suc- 
ceed the  present.  So  that  father  Ricci,  who  resided  in 
China  many  years,  and  taught  that  their  religion,  when 
first  established,  was  consistent  with  the  religion  of  the 
bible,  and  reconcileable  to  the  doctrines  of  Confucius, 
was  perfectly  right ;  he  gained  very  many  followers,  and 
had  not  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans  interfered,  by 
order  of  Pope  Innocent,  in  1648,  great  success  would 
have  attended  their  endeavours.  The  Chinese  would 
undoubtedly  at  this  day  have  had  a  great  veneration  for 
ihe  bible. 

The  followers  of  Lao-kiun,  who  appeared  about  GOO 
years  before  Christ,  inculcate  the  practice  of  a  moral 
philosophy ;  they  teach  the  necessity  of  subduing  the 
passions  ;  they  call  themselves,  the  immortals,  meaning 
the  immortality  of  the  soul.  Lao-kiun  was  a  profound 
philosopher  ;  it  was,  says  Mr.  Maurice,  in  that  valuable 
work  the  Indian  Antiquities,   in    Lao-kiun^s  system  of 

*  From  Jao.  i.  e.  Jehovaji* 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 125 

philosophical  theology,  and  a  sentence  which  he  contin- 
ually repeated  as  the  foundation  of  all  true  wisdom,  that 
Fo,  the  eternal  Reason  produced  one  ;  one  produced  two  ; 
two  produced  three  ;  and  three  produced  all  things.  A 
clearer  description  of  the  eternal  trinity  in  unity  could 
not  be  given  by  any  christian.  But  his  followers,  how- 
ever, have  introduced  many  absurdities  altogether  in- 
consistent with  the  doctrines  taught  by  him.  Images 
have  been  introduced  in  their  worship,  originally  intend- 
ed to  signify  the  good  and  evil  passions,  which  are  now 
reverenced  by  the  lower  orders.  This  has  been  a  mis- 
application of  that  part  of  scripture,  where  images  of 
different  creatures  were  shown  to  the  prophet,  to  signi- 
fy the  affections,  and  which,  without  doubt,  at  that  peri- 
od, viz.  in  the  time  of  the  prophets,  found  its  way  into 
China. 


THE    RELIGION    OF    CHINESE    TARTARY 

Is  much  the  same  as  that  of  China.  The  emperor, 
who  descended  from  the  Tartars,  from  motives  of  state 
policy  resides  six  months  in  China,  and  six  months  in 
Tartary,  where  the  court  and  the  nobility  also  attend- 
So  that  the  established  religion  is  the  same  ;  though 
different  sects  are  allowed  to  worship  in  their  own  way, 
provided  they  do  not  interfere,  with  the  established  or- 
der of  the  government. 

In  Russian  Tartary,  they  inculcate  the  doctrine  and 
practice  of  the  Greek  church.  And  the  inhabitants  of 
11* 


126  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


MOGUL    AND    INDEPENDENT    TARTARV 

Profess  the  Hindoo,  the  Mahometan,  the  Greek,  and 
the  Popish  religions.  In  that  part  of  Taitary,  called 
Thibet,  a  vast  extent  of  country,  they  have  a  represent- 
ative idol  called  the  Grand  Lama.  But  the  Schaman 
professors,  whose  doctrines  are  much  the  same  as  those 
of  the  followers  of  Confucius  in  China,  are  the  most  nu- 
merous. 


THE   WORSHIP    OF    THE    PEOPLE    OF    THOSE    COUNTRIES 
KNOWN    TO    US    BY    THE    NAME    OF 

THE  EAST  INDIES, 

Is  of  various  kinds,  but  they  all  agree  in  this  one 
great  truth :  that  there  is  one  God,  who  created  all 
things,  who  rewards  the  good,  and  punishes  the  wicked. 

The  Indians  are  descended  from  a  very  ancient  ori- 
gin ;  like  their  Persian  neighbours,  they  may  be  traced 
back  to  the  immediate  descendants  of  Noah ;  and  like 
them,  the}r  had  just  notions  concerning  the  worship  of 
the  God  of  heaven.  This  worship  was  again  restored  to 
them,  by  the  descendants  of  Abraham,  and  it  appears  to 
have  been  observed  among  them,  until  the  time  of  Alex- 
ander the  Great.  A  part  of  the  Grecian  mythology  was 
then  introduced,  and  they  worshipped  Jupiter,  Bacchus, 
Juno,  Neptune,  &c.  after  the  manner  of  the  Greeks ;  yet 
none  were  considered  to  be  supreme  but  Jupiter.  They 
.believe  in  the  presence  of  good  and  evil  genii;  which  is 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  12? 

consistent  with  scripture,  viz.  "  are  they  not  ministering 
spirits  sent  forth  to  minister  to  those  who  shall  be  heirs 
of  salvation  ?*' 

The  Gentoos,  or  Hindoos,  were  the  first  inhabitants 
of  India,  so  called  from  the  Hebrew  word  Goim,  i.  e.  na- 
tions, translated  Gentiles. 

The  Brahma ns  are  an  order  of  Hindoo  priests  and 
philosophers,  who  fill  the  highest  offices  of  state  as  coun- 
sellors, in  many  kingdoms  of  ihe  east  :  they  are  highly 
venerated,  and  learned  in  the  languages  and  sciences. 

The  theology  of  the  Brahmans  or  Hindoos,  is  divided 
into  two  grand  sects,  viz.  that  of  Veeshnu,  and  Seeva  ; 
the  first,  is  the  Divine  Being,  in  the  capacity  of  his^re- 
serzing  power ;  the  other,  the  Divine  Being,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  his  destroying  power  ;  which  is  consistent  with 
the  profession  of  christians,  who  believe  that  God  is  an- 
gry with  the  wicked,  and  that  he  redeems  all  who  obey 
his  commands. 

They  believe  in  the  incarnation  of  Veeshnu,  who, 
they  say,  descended  in  a  human  form,  to  accomplish 
great  things,  viz.  to  confound  blaspheming  vice — to  sub- 
vert tyranny — to  avenge  oppressed  innocence — and  to 
abolish  superstition. 

They  teach  that  man  is  a  fallen  creature,  and,  in 
hope  of  making  an  atonement  for  their  sins,  they  suffer 
the  most  unheard-of  and  excruciating  torments  :  some- 
times, says  the  author  of  Indian  Antiquities,  suspending 
themselves  ir  cages,  upon  trees  considered  sacred,  that 
they  may  not  be  infected,  by  touching  the  polluted 
earth ;  sometimes  thrusting  themselves  under  the  wheels 
of  immense  machines,  that  carry  about  their  unconscious 
gods,  where  they  are  instantly  crushed  to  atoms :  others 
hurl  themselves  from  precipices  of  stupendous  height ; 
now  standing  up  to  their  necks  in  rivers,  till  rapacious 


12S  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

alligators  come  and  devour  them  ;  measuring,  with  their 
naked  bodies,  over  burning  sands,  for  leagues,  the  dis- 
tance from  one  pagoda  to  another  ;  or  braving  with  fix- 
ed eyes,  the  ardor  of  a  meridian  sun,  between  the  tro- 
pics ;  and  all  this,  in  the  transporting  hope  of  immedi- 
ately transmigrating  into  paradise. 

The  Brahmans  do  not  teach  the  transmigration  of 
the  soul,  from  one  material  body  to  another  material 
body  in  this  world  ;  a  doctrine  they  have  been  charged 
with  by  many  writers.  The  design  of  the  metempsy- 
chosis was  to  lead  man,  who  had  wandered  from  the 
path  of  virtue,  by  successive  changes  of  state,  in  the 
heart  and  life,  into  his  original  state,  in  which  he  was 
created  ;  or,  agreeably  to  the  apostle,  "-from  a  babe  to 
a  young  man,  and  from  a  young  man,  to  a  father  in 
Christ.""  Some  writers  have  told  us,  that  Pythagoras 
derived  his  doctrine  of  transmigration  from  the  Brah- 
mans, because,  in  the  ancient  book  Menu,  written  long 
before  his  time,  it  is  said,  w  that  as  the  vital  souls  ad- 
dicted to  sensuality,  indulged  themselves  in  forbidden 
pleasures,  even  to  the  same  degree  shall  the  acuteness 
of  their  senses  be  raised  in  their  future  bodies,  that  they 
may  suffer  analogous  pain.""  Hence  they  have  supposed, 
that  the  future  bodies,  here  mentioned,  were  bodies  in 
material  nature.  But  such  writers  forget  that  the  apos- 
tle informs  us,  there  are  two  bodies,  viz.  u  there  is  a 
natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body,  howbeit,  that 
was  not  first,  which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natur- 
al." They  also  should  have  recollected,  that  it  is  said, 
u  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God," 
and  that  the  apostle  says,  "  absent  from  the  body,  pres- 
ent with  the  Lord  ;"  consequently,  that  the  future  bodies, 
above-mentioned,  in  the  ancient  book  of  Menu,  referred 
to  the  self-same  body  alluded  to  by  the  apostle,  and  not 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  128 

to  material  bodies,  of  different  shapes  in  this  world,  as 
of  a  horse,  cow,  lion,  &c.  in  which  view,  those  writers 
who  have  thus  defined  the  Indian  doctrine,  have  been 
grossly  mistaken.  I  believe  the  true  understanding-  of 
an  enlightened  Brahman,  on  this  subject,  to  be  consist- 
ent with  the  sacred  scriptures,  and  that  it  was  originally 
taken  from  them,  where  the  prophet  says,  that  clean 
and  unclean  beasts  were  figured  before  him  on  the  wall 
in  the  chamber  of  imagery,  to  signify  to  him  the  good 
and  evil  affections  of  the  Jews.  By  this  doctrine,  noth- 
ing more  was  meant  by  Pythagoras  and  the  Brahmans, 
than  that,  according  to  the  nature  of  that  life,  which 
man  acquires  in  this  world,  so  that  peculiar  nature  or 
propensity  remains  to  eternity,  which,  by  its  corres- 
pondence, might  be  similar  to  animals  of  an  innocent,  or 
to  those  of  an  evil,  nature. 

Before  the  service  commences,  the  Brahman  comes 
to  the  door  of  the  Pagoda,  and  gives  the  Tiluk,  or  mark 
on  the  forehead  of  the  worshippers,  by  dipping  his  right 
thumb  in  a  mixture  of  vermillion.  This  is  a  very  an- 
cient custom ;  it  is  evidently  taken  from  scripture,  and 
shows,  that  at  this  day,  they  believe  in  the  necessity  of 
a  mediator.  Ezek.  ix.  4.  "  Go  through  the  city,  and  set 
;i  mark  r.?i  the  foreheads  of  the  men,  who  sigh  for  the 
abominat-ons  committed  in  the  midst  thereof." — Rev. 
vii.  3.  "  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor  the 
trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God  in  their 
foreheads.'''' — Exod.  xxviii.  38.  "  And  it  shall  be  upon 
Aaron's  forehead,  that  Aaron  may  bear  the  iniquity,  that 
they  may  be  accepted  before  the  Lord."  When  the 
worship  begins,  the  officiating  Brahman  rings  a  bell,  and 
gives  the  Tiluk  on  the  forehead  of  the  image.  "  Thus 
does  the  devout  Hindoo  pay  his  worship  to  the  Deity, 
through  the  symbols  by  which  they  represent  him.    Such 


130  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

i-  the  acceptable  worship  of  many  a  modern  Brahman  ; 
who,  remote  from  the  cares  and  commerce  of  the  world, 
offers  ap  to  heaven  his  devout  orisons,  and  bloodless  ob- 
lations on  the  flowery  banks  of  the  Kistna,  and  on  the 
luxuriant  borders  of  the  Ganges." 

It  must  be  allowed,  that  the  people  of  India  are  from 
a  very  ancient  origin,  but  we  cannot  admit  any  part  of 
profane  history  as  authority  for  determining  who  were 
the  fathers  of  these  very  ancient  nations.  We  are  there- 
fore necessarily  driven  to  the  bible,  where  we  are  en- 
abled to  ascertain  with  a  degree  of  certainty,  this  impor- 
tant matter.  I  say  important,  because  from  the  above 
remark  of  the  ingenious  and  learned  writer  of  the  Indian 
Antiquities,  many  have  been  led  to  conclude,  that  their 
Yajur  Veda,  or  holy  book,  was  more  ancient  than  the 
writings  of  Moses.  In  that  work  it  is  said  to  have  been 
written  1580  years  before  Christ;  which  xcas  nine  years 
previous  to  the  birth  of  Moses,  and  eighty  nine  before  he  de- 
parted from  Egypt  with  the  Israelites.  This,  with  some, 
has  tended  to  depreciate  the  authority  of  the  sacred  rec- 
ord :  for  such  as  object  to  the  priority  of  the  books  of 
Moses,  think  they  are  supported  in  declaring,  that  the 
Hebrew  lawgiver  copied  his  books  from  the  Yajur  Veda 
of  the  Brahmans.  But  the  learned  writer  of  the  Indian 
Antiquities,  to  whom  the  present  and  future  generations 
must  be  debtors,  had  no  necessity  to  adduce  proof  in  a 
more  recent  publication,  that  the  date  of  the  Yajur  Veda 
was  not  more  than  1200  years  before  the  time  of  Christ. 
For,  were  we  to  admit  that  this  book  was  more  ancient 
than  the  books  of  Moses,  which  is  not  the  case,  it  does 
not  follow,  because  many  things  in  that  book  agree  with 
the  Mosaic  account,  that  Moses  copied  them  from  the, 
Yajur  Veda. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  131 

Moses  must  have  had  his  information  respecting  the 
origin  of  the  world  and  the  fall  of  man,  either  from  God, 
or  from  those  who  lived  before  him.  It  will  not  be  con- 
tended, that  the  antiquity  of  the  most  ancient  Indians 
can  possibly  reach  beyond  the  time  of  Noah  ;  but  if  we 
allow  that  these  people  are  descended  from  the  first  de- 
scendants of  Noah,  they  must  have  been  in  possession  of 
the  particulars  concerning  the  origin  of  the  world,  and 
the  fall  of  man.  In  like  manner,  as  Moses  descended 
from  Arphaxad,  the  son  of  Shcm,  he  and  the  patriarchs 
were  well  acquainted  with  these  things,  which  were 
handed  down  to  him  in  the  regular  line,  as  I  have  shown 
in  the  first  and  second  order  of  the  patriarchs.  There- 
fore, there  is  no  necessity  for  supposing,  that  the  histor- 
ical account  of  the  most  ancient  times  in  the  Yajur  Veda 
was  copied  in  the  Mosaic  account  of  the  creation,  were 
we  even  to  give  this  book  the  greatest  possible  an- 
tiquity. 

It  appears  from  the  10th  chapter  of  Genesis,  that  af- 
ter the  first  descendants  of  Noah  to  Eber,  the  earth  was 
divided  in  the  time  of  Peleg  his  son  ;  that  the  other  son 
of  Eber  was  Joktan,  of  whose  descendants  it  is  said. 
"  And  their  dwelling  was  from  Mesha,  as  thou  goest  unto 
Sephar,  a  mount  of  the  east."  So  that  Mesha  and  Sephar, 
which  were  to  the  east,  point  out  the  situation  of  these 
descendants  of  Joktan,  which  was  undeniably  that  part 
of  the  world  we  now  call  India.  From  all  which  it  also 
appears,  that  the  Persians,  the  descendants  of  Elam, 
were  five  generations  before  the  descendants  of  Joktan, 
or  the  Indians.  It  also  enables  us  to  conclude,  that  as 
the  descendants  of  Elam  at  this  period  considered  Persia 
as  their  own  land,  which  has  remained  in  their  posses- 
sion to  this  day,  so  the  descendants  of  Joktan,  when  <-ey 
settled  on  the  border  of  their  Persian  brethren,  after 


132  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  memorable  epocha  of  the  division  of  the  earth,  be- 
came the  original  possessors  of  India  ;  where  they  have 
formed  a  number  of  nations,  aud  scrupulously  retain  their 
peculiar  cast  to  the  present  day. 

The  Brahmans  took  their  name  from  Abraham,  who 
by  them  was  called  Brahma,  which  is  the  same  word 
and  differs  only  as  to  the  Indian  pronunciation.  For 
Abraham  means  the  father  of  the  land  of  Aram,  and  Brah- 
ma is  a  Hebrew  word,  which,  with  the  prefix  Beth,  in. 
literally  means,  in  Aram,  to  signify  to  posterity,  that  the 
great  restorer  of  their  ancient  religion  came  from  Aram, 
which  accounts  for  the  change  of  his  name,  the  Chaldean 
Hebrew  language  being  the  universal  language.  That 
the  ancient  Brahmans  were  the  descendants  of  the  patri- 
arch Abraham,  and  that  they  were  sent  b}'  him  to  India, 
in  order  to  promulgate  the  truths  of  the  dispensation  he 
had  received  from  God,  will  appear  evident.  Vossius* 
informs  us,  that  all  places  eastward  of  the  Mediterranean 
^ea  were  anciently  called  India  ;  (as  above.)  Abraham 
resided  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  is  to  the  east  of  that 
sea;  and  modern  India  is  considerably  to  the.  eastward 
of  the  land  of  Canaan.  And  when  he  gave  portions  to 
his  six  sons  by  Keturah,  he  sent  them  with  their  sons 
and  grandsons,  while  he  yet  lived,  eastward,  unto  the  east 
country,  which  was  evidently  that  part  of  the  world  we 
now  call  India.  Neither  can  it  be  doubted,  that  they 
were  invited  to  this  part  of  the  world  by  the  kings  of  In- 
dia, to  instruct  them  in  the  true  principles  of  religion, 
and  philosophy  :  for  according  to  Josephus,  Antiq.  lib.  i. 
c.  8.  Justin,  hb.  xxxvi.  c.  2.  from  Trogus  Pompeius, 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,  and  Eusebius.  lib.  xiii.  c.  12.  Abra- 

'  De  Idolat.  lib.  I.e.  26-. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  139 

ham  (who  was  the  king  of  Damascus)  was  lamed  ovei 
all  the  east  as  a  profound  theologian,  and  philosopher. 

The  author  of  the  Antiquities  of  India,  gives  us  great 
information  concerning  the  origin  of  the  Hindoos.  In 
this  valuable  work,  he  gives  us  a  summary  of  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Hindoos.  He  informs  us  that  their  legislator 
Brahma  was  the  original  writer  of  many  passages  which 
are  copied  in  their  holy  book,  the  Veda,  which  contain? 
the  doctrines  of  their  ancient  religion. 

There  are,  nevertheless,  many  superstitious  prac- 
tices among  some  of  them,  altogether  inconsistent  with 
our  view  of  things  ;  and  others  are  permitted,  shocking 
to  humanity.  I  shall,  therefore,  conclude  the  remarks 
1  have  made  concerning  the  theology  of  the  Indian  na- 
tions, with  some  particulars  I  have  had  from  gentlemen 
of  great  respectability,  who  themselves  were  eye-wit- 
nesses of  these  facts. 

It  is  the  custom  in  one  part  of  India,  at  this  day,  for 
wives  to  be  buried  alive  with  their  deceased  husbands. 
\  gentleman,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  British  army  un- 
der General  Lake,  (from  whom  I  received  the  informa- 
tion) was  present  with  a  part  of  the  division  of  the  army, 
at  an  assembly,  where  a  woman  was  preparing  for  the 
horrid  ceremony.  The  English  officers  reasoned  with 
her  on  the  baseness  of  committing  such  an  act  of  vio- 
lence, as  she  had  liberty  to  dispense  with  it.  She  repli- 
ed, it  was  the  custom  of  all  good  women,  and  that  she 
should  be  despised  if  she  did  not  comply.  As  they 
could  not  divert  her  from  her  purpose,  one  of  the  officers 
intentionally  touched  her,  which,  according  to  their  be- 
lief, rendered  her  unclean.  And  as  they  did  not  suffer 
any  to  touch  her,  when  she  was  preparing  for  this  cere- 
mony, but  their  own  people,  all  the  time  she  had  been 
training  for  this  unnatural  exit  was  lost,  and  they  were 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIOxNS. 


under  the  necessity  of  making  another  journey  to  the  Gan- 
ges, where  she  was  to  he  washed  from  the  impure  touch, 
by  those  waters,  which  are  held  sacred  by  them. 

So  jealous  are  they  of  their  religious  privileges,  that 
the  imprudent  attempt  to  put  an  end  to  this  disgraceful 
custom,  alarmed  the  people.  The  whole  cast,  or  tribe, 
were  in  commotion,  and  would  not  be  satisfied  unless  the 
aggressor  was  punished  ;  which,  had  they  had  the  pow- 
er would  have  been  by  death  :  he  was  accordingly  pub- 
licly reprimanded  by  his  superior  officer. 

The  immolation  of  women  in  India,  is,  even  at  this 
time,  very  frequent.  In  Dr.  Buchanan's  Christian  Re- 
searches in  India,  we  have  an  account  of  the  number  of 
women,  who  were  burned  alive  on  the  funeral  pile  of 
their  husbands,  within  thirty  miles  round  Calcutta,  from 
the  beginning  of  April  to  the  end  of  October  1804,  which 
amounted  to  115,  in  six  months.  This  report  was  made 
by  persons  appointed  by  the  professor  of  the  Shanscrit 
and  Bengal  languages,  in  the  college  of  Fort  William. 
By  an  account  taken  in  1803,  the  number  of  women  sac- 
rificed, during  that  year,  within  thirty  miles  round  Cal- 
cutta, was  275. 

The  same  reverend  author,  Dr.  Buchanan,  informs 
us,  that  when  the  Marquis  Wellesley  was  governor-gen- 
eral of  India,  having  been  informed  that  "  the  Hindoos 
had  a  religious  rite,  consecrated  by  custom,  of  sacrificing 
children,  in  consequence  of  vows,  by  drowning  them,  or 
exposing  them  to  sharks  and  crocodiles ;  and  that  twen- 
ty three  perons  had  perished  in  the  month  of  January, 
1801,  he  immediately  passed  a  law,  declaring  the  prac- 
tice to  be  murder,  punishable  by  death.  The  law  is  entitled, 
A  regulation  for  preventing  the  sacrifice  of  children,  at 
Saugor,  and  other  places,  passed  by  the  governor-gener- 
al in  council,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1802.     The  purpose 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  130 


of  this  regulation  was  completely  effected:  not  a  mur- 
mur was  heard  on  the  subject,  nor  has  any  attempt  of 
the  kind  come  to  our  knowledge  since. "'  This  will  cer- 
tainly reflect  the  greatest  honour  on  the  humanity  of  that 
nobleman  to  the  latest  posterity.  And  if  the  same  ener- 
getic measures  were  adopted,  the  horrid  and  abominable 
practice  of  burning  women  alive  at  the  death  of  their 
husbands,  in  the  British  dominions,  would  cease  forever. 
By  other  gentlemen  of  respectability,  and  undoubted 
veracity,  who  have  resided  in  India  many  years,  1  have 
been  informed,  that  the  missionaries  sent  from  this  coun- 
try to  convert  the  natives  to  Christianity,  have  at  certain 
times  had  conferences  with  the  chief  men  among  them 
who  reside  in  the  British  dominions.  They  have  set 
forth  the  beauty  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  and  the  whole 
plan  of  salvation;  which,  when  they  have  patiently 
heard,  they  answer  thus  :  You  have  set  forth,  in  a  very 
engaging  manner,  the  superiority  of  the  religion  you 
profess,  but  we  do  not  see  that  the  professors  of  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ,  who  reside  among  us,  prove  by  their 
lives  and  conversation,  that  these  things  are  true. 
When  we  go  into  our  temples,  we  take  off  our  shoes, 
and  appear  before  our  God  with  that  reverence  which 
is  due  to  him  who  fills  the  universe  with  his  presence. 
When  our  worship  is  ended,  we  return  to  our  homes, 
considering  we  have  been  paying  our  vows,  not  to  the 
stones  of  which  our  altar  is  built,  but  to  the  invisible 
God  :  we  injure  none,  nor  do  we  condemn  others  for 
thinking  differently  on  these  subjects.  But  when  your 
people  go  into  }'our  temples,  though  you  inform  us  that 
they  believe  God  to  be  present,  yet  they  conduct  them- 
selves as  though  they  were  in  a  place  of  amusement. 
When  your  worship  is  ended,  they  go  to  riot  and  drunk- 
enness, making  use  of  every  possible  means  to  deceive 


136  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


others,  and  to  gratify  their  unconquered  inclinations, 
though  it  be  the  ruin  of  the  unfortunate  sufferers,  who 
unhappily  fall  in  their  way.  With  these  proofs  of  the 
lamentable  conduct  of  the  professors  of  your  religion  be- 
fore our  eyes,  we  do  not  see  that  we  should  gain  any 
thing  by  changing  our  sentiments  :  there  is  no  induce- 
ment for  us  to  forsake  the  ancient  profession  of  our  ven- 
erable fathers. 

When  the  missionaries  inform  them,  that  there  are 
•  wo  descriptions  of  professors  among  christians,  viz. 
those  who  worship  God  in  sincerity,  with  a  pure  devo- 
tion, and  those  who  are  careless  concerning  this  matter  ; 
they  reply,  that  it  would  not  be  pleasing  to  God,  should 
they  meet  before  him  and  worship  in  sincerity,  in  the 
company  of  others,  who,  to  their  certain  knowledge, 
were  living  in  open  violation  of  the  precepts  of  morality, 
and  blaspheming  the  very  God,  whom  they  pretended  to 
worship.  I  shall  here  extract  a  paragraph  from  the 
Jlev.  Dr.  Buchanan's  Christian  Researches  in  India, 
which  justifies  the  above  remarks.  Page  50,  he  says, 
•the  missionaries  told  me  that  religion  had  suffered 
much  in  Tranquebar  of  late  years,  from  European  infi- 
delity, which  was,  therefore,  hostile  to  the  conversion 
vt  the  Hindoos.  It  flourishes  more  among  the  natives 
of  Tanjore,  and  in  other  provinces  where  there  are  few 
Europeans,  for  we  find  that  European  example,  in  the 
large  towns,  is  the  bane  of  christian  instruction." 

But  there  are  other  nations,  in  the  more  interior 
pari  of  India,  who  worship  idols  literally.  The  idol 
Juggernaut  is  worshipped  by  immense  numbers,  who 
make  a  pilgrimage  at  their  various  feasts  to  the  town  of 
Juggernaut.  On  the  18th  of  June,  at  12  o'clock,  the 
idol  is  brought  forth  on  a  car  sixty  feet  in  height,  amidst 
the  acclamations  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  deluded 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  137 


worshippers,  who  have  resorted  thither  from  various 
parts  of  the  British  dominions ;  so  infatuated  are  these 
people,  that  many  of  them  think  it  an  honour  to  sacrifice 
themselves  to  this  idol.  This  is  said  to  be  done  in  the 
presence  of  the  company's  servants,  the  country  being 
under  their  jurisdiction.  They  have  levied  a  tax*  on 
this  deluded  people,  which  amounts  to  a  great  sum  an- 
nually, sanctioning  the  worship  of  this  idol,  and  permit- 
ting them  to  offer  human  sacrifices.  Surely,  the  just 
judgment  of  God  will  fall  on  the  heads  of  those,  who  are 
the  authors  and  sharers  of  this  bloody  Molochian  plunder. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  AFRICANS. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some  writers,  that  the  de- 
scendants of  Japhet  peopled  Europe;  some  might  settle 
in  this  part  of  the  world,  though  we  have  no  satisfacto- 
ry proof  that  this  was  so.  But  it  will  appear,  if  we  con- 
sult the  Hebrew  scriptures,  that  a  great  part  of  his  pos- 
terity were  the  first  settlers  in  Africa. 

The  sons  of  Japhet ,  were  Gomer,  and  Magog,  and  Ma- 
dai,  and  Javan,  and  Tubal,  and  Meshech,  and  Tiras. 
Gen.  x.  2.  The  grandsons  of  Japhet  are  also  mention- 
ed, who,  with  these,  gave  their  names  to  their  posterity, 
forming  different  nations,  each  preserving  the  name  of 
their  progenitor.  We  are  then  informed  in  the  fifth 
verse,  as  it  stands  in  the  translation,  that,  "by  these 
were  the  isles  of  the  Gentiles  divided ;  in  their  lands, 

*  This  tax  was  levied,  according  to  Dr.  Buchanan,  p.  32,  by 

the  Bengal  government,  under  u  A  regulation  for  levying  a  tax  on 

pilgrims  resorting  to  the  temple  of  Juggernaut,  and  for  the  superin- 

*endance  and  management  of  the  temple."     Passed  April  3,  1806, 

12* 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

erery  one  after  bis  tongue,  after  their  families,  in  their 
nations."  But  the  word  which  is  rendered  Geiitiles. 
should  be  translated  nations  ;  and  the  word  Jycc,  which 
is  translated  isles,  cannot  be  confined  to  such  a  significa- 
tion. It  means  countries,  which  are  far  remote  beyond 
the  sea,  and  these  countries  may  be  either  islands,  or 
continents.  Jer.  xxv.  22.  and  the  kings  of  the  Jyee, 
countries  which  are  beyond  the  sea.  But  the  countries 
of  Europe  are  not  beyond,  or  divided  by  the  sea  from 
the  land  of  Canaan  where  the  patriarchs  resided  ;  there- 
fore Europe  cannot  be  meant  by  the  word  Jyee,  coun- 
tries, which  are  beyond  the  sea. 

The  descendants  of  Ham  settled  in  the  country  of 
Palestine,  including  Babylon  ;  the  descendants  of  Shem 
in  the  most  eastern  part,  including  Persia,  Arabia,  India ; 
and  as  Africa  is  divided  by  the  Mediterranean  sea,  and  the 
Pted  sea,  from  Europe,  and  the  land  of  Canaan  which 
joins  Egypt,  it  must  be  allowed  that  the  descendants  of 
Japhet  were  the  first  settlers  in  Africa.  This  is  confirm- 
ed by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  xxxii.  26.  where  Meshech, 
and  Tubal,  the  sons  of  Japhet,  whose  names  distinguish- 
ed their  descendants  as  nations,  are  mentioned  as  being 
a  considerable  people  in  Africa,  when  Pharaoh  was 
Threatened  with  destruction. 

Mitzraim,  the  second  son  of  Ham,  was  also  the  father 
of  a  mighty  nation.  His  descendants  settled  in  Egypt, 
which  in  Hebrew  is  called  by  his  name,  Mitsraim,  and 
not  Egypt.  It  is  also  said,  from  him  came  the  Caphto- 
rim.  The  word  means  to  interpret — the  solution  of  diffi- 
cult things  ;  properly  the  priests  of  the  most  ancient  or- 
der. The  priests  of  Apollo  were  so  called,  from  the 
pretended  oracular  predictions,  and  prophetic  qualifica- 
tions of  their  god  of  wisdom.  Bochart,  v.  i.  p.  666. 
This  will  account  for  the  representative  worship  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  139 


Egyptians.  For  as  the  descendants  of  Ham  introduced 
the  worship  of  their  progenitor,  who  established  the  or- 
der of  the  Antediluvian  worship,  when  it  had  sunk  into 
idolatry,  but  which,  in  its  pure  state,  was  sacredly  figu- 
rative, and  representative  ;  so  Mitzraim  his  son  would 
naturally  fall  into  that  kind  of  worship,  which  was  observ- 
ed in  Egypt  at  the  time  of  Moses. 

The  descendants  of  Japhet  then,  it  appears  unquestion- 
ably, were  the  first  settlers  in  Africa,  which  land  was 
well  known,  before  the  flood,  to  the  patriarch  Noah, 
who,  on  account  of  its  proximity  to  the  land  of  Canaan, 
assigned  these  divisions  to  his  posterity.  From  which 
we  are  authorized  to  draw  this  conclusion  :  that,  as  Ja- 
phet worshipped  the  true  God  so  he  must  have  establish- 
ed this  worship  among  his  descendants  in  Africa,  exclu- 
sive of  Egypt,  where  Mitzraim  established  the  worship 
of  Ham.  The  worship  of  the  ancient  Ethiopians  appears 
to  have  been  retained  in  its  purity  longer  than  in  any  of 
the  other  nations  of  Africa.  For  when  the  queen  went 
to  visit  Solomon,  they  had  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
God  ;  they  used  most  of  the  Mosaic  ceremonies,  many  of 
which  were  like  those  of  the  first  patriarchs ;  and  the 
eunuch  of  queen  Candace  was  acquainted  with  the  He- 
brew scriptures  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  The  Chris- 
tian religion  flourished  in  Africa,  at  the  time  of  the  coun- 
cil of  Nice  in  the  fourth  century :  but  at  this  day,  agree- 
ably to  the  best  information,  ignorance  and  superstition 
have  spread  their  baneful  influence  over  the  greatest 
part  of  this  once  enlightened  country. 


140  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION. 


MODERN    AFRICANS. 

The  religious  professions  of  the  modern  Africans  arc 
three  :  Paganism,  Mahometanism,  and  Christianity.  The 
Pagans  are  those  who  do  not  receive  the  Bible,  Koran. 
or  books  esteemed  sacred  by  any  nation.  Those  who 
have  travelled  among  them  give  a  description  of  their 
theology,  more  consistent  with  reason  than  has  been  de- 
nned by  writers  in  general. 

They  inform  us,  that  the  w  intelligent  Pagans  believe 
in  the  existence  of  one  Supreme  Being  ;  that  man  shall 
rise  again  after  death,  and  that  there  are  rewards  and 
punishments  after  this  life  ;"  this  belief  is  universal  among 
the  African  Pagans.  They  have  exalted  ideas  of  the 
majesty  of  the  Deity,  and  believe  that  the  superintend- 
ance  of  things  in  this  world  is  under  the  direction  of 
invisible  beings,  to  whom  God  has  committed  it.  Res- 
pecting a  future  state,  they  speak  with  great  humility, 
and  conclude  that  this  state  of  things  will  be  far  better 
suited  to  our  inclinations  and  final  happiness,  than  the 
present.  Negroland,  upper  and  lower  Guinea,  Caffraria, 
the  land  of  the  Hottentots,  and  Ethiopia  inferior,  univer- 
sally profess  Paganism.  Egypt,  Barbary,  including  the 
empire  of  Morocco,  Nubia,  Biledulgerid,  or  Zaara,  pro- 
fess Mahometanism.  And  the  people  of  Ethiopia  supe- 
rior, or  Abyssinia,  profess  Christianity. 


PAGANISM. 

The  word  Pagan  is  derived  from  the  Hebrew  y^s 
Pliugang,  which  means  to  approach,  to  intercede.     But 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  141 

when  the  descendants  of  the  ancient  Pagans  became  an 
ignorant  people  :  ignorant  with  regard  to  the  true  wor- 
ship of  God,  it  was  used  by  the  Rabbies  to  mean  a  rustic, 
a  barbarian,  or  one  uncultivated,  or  untaught  in  things 
appertaining  to  religion,  and  was  written  Pagan,  with 
3  nun,  instead  of  y  Oin,  or  ng,  as  it  is  now  written 
Pagan. 

From  the  original  meaning  of  the  word,  we  are  nat- 
uralljr  led  to  conclude,  that  the  first  Pagans  were  not 
worshippers  of  idols,  but  of  the  true  God.  They  under- 
stood that  a  mediator,  an  intercessor  was  promised,  which 
knowledge  they  must  have  received  from  the  primeval 
people,  who  believed  in  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  the 
Redeemer,  and  who  looked  on  things  in  outward  nature 
as  representing,  according  to  their  properties  and  pro- 
pensities, the  passions  and  propensities  in  themselves. 
But  in  process  of  time,  the  images  of  these  things  were 
placed  in  their  temples ;  the  original  understanding  and 
application  was  first  neglected,  then  lost,  and  they  wor- 
shipped God  through  the  images,  which  were  originally 
representative  only  ;  hence  began  idolatry. 

This  kind  of  worship  by  images  and  figures,  now  per- 
vades many  of  the  nations  of  Asia  and  Africa,  Great  Tar- 
tary,  China,  India,  almost  the  whole  of  the  back  settle- 
ments of  North  and  South  America.  But  whether  all 
these  populous  nations,  containing  by  far  a  greater  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  than  are  to  be  found  in  all  the  parts  of 
the  world  beside,  among  whom  must  be  many  sensible, 
learned  and  judicious  men,  as  appears  from  the  wisdom 
displayed  in  their  laws  and  forms  of  civil  governments 
long  established  among  them  ;  whether,  I  say,  all  these 
populous  nations  are  so  far  lost  to  a  sense  of  the  dignity 
of  human  nature,  as  to  worship  images,  stocks  and  stones, 
as  such,  believing  them  to  be  gods,  (as  is  by  some  asserted) 


142  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

requires  better  proof  than  we  have  hitherto  bad,  con- 
cerning the  credulity  of  so  vast  a  proportion  of  the  hu- 
man race.  When  they  are  told,  it  is  supposed  by  chris- 
tians, that  they  worship  these  things,  they  show  their 
disapprobation  of  every  thing  of  this  nature,  and  say,  that 
they  use  them  only  as  representative  figures  of  the 
Great  One.  who  made  and  governs  all  things. 


EUROPEAN    PAGANS, 

The  polytheism  of  the  European  Pagans  has,  by 
some  writers  of  great  credit,  been  fixed  to  five  or  six 
different  orders,  or  professions.  First,  the  polytheism 
of  the  ancient  Grecians,  and  the  Romans.  Second,  the 
Teutonic,  and  the  Gothic.  Third,  the  Celtic  nations. 
Fourth,  the  Sclavonian.  Fifth,  the  most  northern  re- 
gions of  Europe,  as  far  as  Lapland,  Greenland,  &c.  Ac- 
cording to  the  best  authorities,  France  and  England  were 
first  peopled  by  the  Celts,  who  established  the  worship 
of  the  Druids.  The  Goths  entered  Germany,  Scandina- 
via, and  thus  introduced  the  Runic  mythology. 


IN    NORTH   AMERICA 

The  different  professions  of  the  Christian  religion 
are  the  same  as  in  Europe.  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians, 
?.nd  1  tide  pendents,  are  all  tolerated.     And 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  143 


IN    SOUTH    AMERICA 

The  religion  is  in  general,  Roman  Catholic.  JVetu 
Mexico,  Old  Mexico,  Chili,  Peru,  Terra  Fin/ia,  Brazil 
and  Paraguay,  are  accounted  to  have  received  the  doc- 
trines of  the  church  of  Rome.  But  the  natives  of  Ama- 
zonia are  Pagans.  They  have  a  great  number  of  idols, 
supposed  to  be  subordinate  to  one  God  ;  but  their  no- 
tions concerning  him  are  very  confused.  They  have  a 
great  veneration  for  their  priests,  who  address  their 
worship  to  idols,  and  pretend  to  receive  answers  from 
them.  When  they  go  to  war,  they  always  consult  the 
priests,  who  then  apply  to  their  idols  for  assistance 
against  the  enemy.  The  priest  pronounces  a  heavy 
curse  in  the  name  of  the  idol  they  worship,  and  when 
they  embark  on  their  great  rivers,  the  idol  accompanies 
them.  They  never  pray  but  for  victory,  vengeance, 
and  riches. 

Before  I  attempt  to  define  the  particular  views  of  the 
different  sects  of  the  Christian  religion,  I  shall  introduce 
Mahometanism  here  for  the  following  reason,  though 
Mahomet  did  not  make  his  appearance  till  the  beginning 
of  the  seventh  century.  Mahomet  compiled  the  Koran, 
which  contains  the  Mahometan  creed,  partly  from  tin- 
Old  Testament,  and  partly  from  the  books  of  the  Pagan?. 
It  would  therefore  be  out  of  order  to  introduce  Mahome- 
tanism, when  giving  ah  account  of  the  different  sects  of 
the  Christian  religion.  It  appears  to  me  most  proper  to 
introduce  those  sects  of  professors  who  were  nearest  al- 
lied to  each  other,  as  to  their  profession  of  religion;  and 
as  the  Mahometans  reject  Christ,  and  have  adopted  ma- 
ny of  the  tenets  of  the  Pagans,  it  certainly  is  more  or- 


144  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

derly  to  link  them  with  Pagans,  than  to  introduce  the 
Mahometan  religion,  when  giving  an  account  of  the  de- 
scent of  the  Christian  religion. 


THE    MAHOMETAN    RELIGION. 

In  the  year  622,  of  the  Christian  aera,  Honorius  the 
fifth,  being  the  bishop  of  Rome,  and  Heraclius  Caesar, 
emperor  of  the  west,  when  idolatry  had  spread  its  bane- 
ful influence  over  Arabia ;  Mahomet,  an  Arabian,  seeing 
the  many  gross  absurdities  of  such  a  religious  system, 
and  not  being  able  to  comprehend  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity,  as  it  was  then  taught  by  the  professors  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  formed  the  plan  of  a  new  sect,  by  combining  a 
part  of  the  Pagan  rites  with  some  of  the  laws  of  Moses, 
and  the  precepts  of  the  New  Testament,  and  published 
them  as  a  new  code  of  laws.  In  order  to  make  these 
laws  revered,  he  pretended  that  he  received  them  from 
the  archangel  Gabriel,  by  the  command  of  God,  and  that 
he  was  the  prophet  chosen  to  promulgate  them. 

There  is  no  other  way  of  accounting  for  the  great 
progress  which  this  new  religion  made,  by  the  conver- 
sion of  the  eastern  nations  to  the  Mahometan  faith,  un- 
less on  the  ground  of  this  impostor  holding  forth  the 
unity  of  God,  and  the  promise  of  sensual  enjoyments  in 
heaven,  to  those  who  obeyed  his  laws.  The  first  com- 
mandment was  taken  from  the  Bible  ;  it  runs  thus  in  the 
Mahometan  code  :  /  believe  in  one  God  only.  This  struck 
at  the  root  of  the  polytheism  of  the  east,  and  was  one 
great  cause  of  the  reception  of  his  doctrines. 

The  Koran  is  the  sacred  book  of  the  Mahometan?, 
written  in  pure  Arabic,  and  is  in  as  high  estimation  with 
them,  as  the  Bible  is  with  Christians. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  \4o 

Mahomet  was  obliged  to  propagate  his  doctrines  by 
sensual  indulgence  and  the  terror  of  the  sword  ;  but  be- 
ing conscious  that  the  Bible,  from  which  he  endeavour- 
ed to  frame  his  system,  did  not  allow  of  any  thing  like 
sensual  indulgence,  and  finding  that  a  system  of  self-de- 
nial was  not  calculated  to  give  him  popularity,  he  adopt- 
ed many  of  the  Pagan  rites,  and  also  gave  permission  to 
indulge  in  sensual  pleasure.  Therefore,  he  promised 
that  every  good  Mahometan,  who  died  fighting  for  his 
religion,  should  possess  a  multiplicity  of  wives,  beautiful 
as  the  Hauries,  and  that  all  who  thus  fell  should  be  im- 
mediately translated  to  paradise. 

The  Mahometan  is  the  established  religion  of  Syria, 
Palestine,  Mesopotamia,  Persia,  Egypt,  Morocco,  Fez,  Al- 
giers, Tripoli,  Barca,  Arubia,  JVatolia,  Turcomania,  Geor- 
gia and  Turkey  in  Europe. 

Caliph  was  the  sacred  supreme  ecclesiastical  title, 
among  the  Saracens.  They  are  said  to  have  such  a  re- 
lationship to  Mahomet,  as  the  popes  are  said,  by  the  Ro- 
man Catholics,  to  have  to  Christ  and  St.  Peter.  This  is 
one  of  the  titles  of  the  Grand  Seignior,  which  he  is  un- 
der the  necessity  of  adopting",  as  the  successor  of  Ma- 
homet. The  ancient  Caliphs  were  priests  as  well  as 
kings  ;  they  led  the  pilgrims  to  Mecca,  and  went  forth 
with  their  armies,  after  the  custom  of  the  ancient  east- 
ern monarchs,  before  their  time  ;  and  being  the  premier 
priest  of  the  mussulmen,  he  read  the  public  prayers 
every  Friday,  in  the  great  mosque,  or  church.  This 
custom,  however,  is  not  attended  to  ;  for  the  labour  of 
the  Caliphs  having  been  laid  aside  for  the  supineness  of 
the  Sultan,  a  high  priest,  called  the  Mufti,  fills  his  relig- 
ious office,  and  another  minister,  styled  the  Grand  Vi- 
zier, leads  the  army  to  battle.  But  the  Zerif  of  Mecca, 
in  Arabia,  is  the  great  pontiff  of  the  Mahometan  religion, 
13 


14o  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


who,  to  support  the  ancient  order,  is  allowed  to  be  a 
nominal,  temporal,  as  well  as  an  acknowledged  spiritual, 
prince.  His  temporal  authority,  however,  only  extends 
over  a  part  of  Arabia,  for  which  he  pays  tribute  to  the 
Grand  Seignior. 

The  government  of  the  Caliphs  was  continued  from 
the  655th  year  of  the  Hegira,  i.  e.  the  flight  of  Mahomet, 
when  the  Tartars  took  Bagdat,  their  capital  city  ;  and, 
from  this  period,  the  Sultan  appointed  the  ecclesiastical 
officer,  called  the  Mufti.  Their  priests  are  called 
[mans  ;  their  monks,  Derriscs^  who  are  very  abstemi- 
ous ;  and  they  have  eight  religious  orders.  As  much  as 
possible,  they  oblige  every  one  to  acknowledge,  or  pro- 
fess, the  Mahometan  religion  ;  it  is  true,  that  they  allow 
the  professors  of  the  Christian  religion,  who  are  of  the 
Greek  church,  as  also  the  Jews,  the  liberty  of  their  own 
worship  :  but  they  are  under  the  necessity  of  paying 
tribute  for  that  privilege  ;  and  they  are  treated  with  a 
degree  of  contempt,  both  in  the  intercourse  of  societ}r, 
and  in  their  legal  acts. 

The  Mahometans  go  once  a  year  from  Cairo,  on  a 
pilgrimage  to  Mecca.  It  is  not  only  one  of  the  most  nu- 
merous caravans,  but  it  is  one  of  the  richest  in  the  east. 
Frequently  not  less  than  lifty  thousand  persons  compose 
the  caravan.  The  priests  who  perform  the  journey  to 
Mecca,  they  call  saints,  and  grant  them  great  privileges. 
In  the  city  of  Fez,  the  capital  of  the  emperor  of  Morocco, 
there  are  near  one  thousand  mosques,  fifty  of  which  are 
built  in  a  most  magnificent  style,  supported  by  marble 
pillars.  The  circumference  of  the  grand  mosque  is  near 
a  mile  and  a  half,  in  which  near  a  thousand  lamps  are 
lighted  every  night. 

As  some  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Mahometan  religion 
agree  with  the  scriptures,  we  must  therefore  expect  to 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  147 

find  many  things  nearly  the  same  as  are  contained  in 
them.  They  believe,  that  at  the  last  day,  "  the  trumpet 
shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised ;"  that  the  an- 
gel Michael  shall  weigh  the  souls  of  men ;  that  there  is 
a  separate  state  between  heaven  and  hell,  or  a  purgato- 
ry ;  that  to  have  images  in  their  temples  is  idolatry  ;  that 
the  new  moon  ought  to  be  saluted  reverentially  ;  that 
polygamy  is  allowable  ;  that  a  pilgrimage  is  to  be  made 
to  Mecca  every  year,  after  the  manner  of  the  males  to 
Jerusalem.  All  which  are  taken  from  the  Bible,  and 
modified  so  as  to  attach  the  sensuality  of  his  votaries. 
They  also  believe  the  doctrine  of  fate  as  to  things  of  this 
world,  but  admit  that  all  who  live  good  lives  will  be 
saved. 


THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 

We  now  come  to  treat  of  those  things,  sacred  to  every 
christian.  When,  to  fulfil  the  ancient  promise,  that  "  the 
seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head ;" 
Messiah,  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  left  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  which  he  had  with  him  before  the  world  was  ;  be- 
came man  for  our  salvation,  [at  whose  coming  the  sacri- 
fices appointed  to  be  observed  under  the  Mosaic  dispen- 
sation were  to  cease  for  ever]  and  promulgated  the  truths 
of  our  holy  religion. 

The  fundamental  principles  of  the  Christian  religion, 
appear,  from  what  is  said  by  our  Lord,  and  his  disciples, 
to  consist  in  repentance,  faith,  and  uprightness  of  life  ; 
love  to  God,  and  charity  to  man.  Here  is  the  ground- 
work on  which  the  spiritual  temple  is  to  be  raised  for 
the  reception  of  heaven  in  man ;  "ye  are  the  temple  of 


148  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


God."  "  Repentance  whereby  we  forsake  sin,  and  faith 
whereby  we  steadfastly  believe  the  promises  of  God," 
which,  if  it  be  a  genuine  faith,  will  produce  a  life  in 
conformity  thereto,  "  a  conscience  void  of  offence  to- 
wards God,  and  towards  man." 

Unlike  all  the  churches  which  preceded,  the  Chris- 
tian church  was  not  to  be  a  representative  church  ;  no 
types,  no  figures,  were  necessary,  when  the  great  Found- 
er of  our  religion  made  his  appearance.  He  came  to 
abolish  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies  of  the  Jews,  which 
were  all  representatives  of  him  the  great  sacrifice  ;  and 
to  show  man,  that  the  sacrifice  of  a  "broken  and  of  a 
contrite  spirit,"  operating  in  a  life  agreeably  to  the 
commands  of  God,  is  the  most  acceptable  sacrifice  to 
him.  "Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and 
bow  myself  before  the  high  God?  Shall  I  come  before 
him  with  burnt  offerings,  with  calves  of  a  year  old  ? 
Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams  ?  or 
with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ?  Shall  I  give  my  first 
born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my  body  for  the 
sin  of  my  soul  ?  He  hath  showed  thee,  O  man,  what  is 
good  ;  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do 
justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God."  This  is  summed  up  in  those  ever-memorable 
words  of  the  Christian's  Redeemer,  which  comprehend 
the  substance  of  true  religion.  Matt.  xxii.  37.  39.  "  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind  :  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself." 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  amuse  the  reader,  by  enter- 
ing into  the  vast  field  of  notions  and  opinions,  which  in 
ihe  early  ages  of  the  Christian  church  obtained  credit 
among  a  few  unsettled  and  intemperate  men  ;  it  would 
be  a  loss  of  time,  without  answering  any  valuable  end* 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-.  149 


I  shall,  therefore,  be  as  brief  as  possible  in  giving  an  ac- 
count of  the  sects  of  lesser  note ;  but  with  regard  to 
those  which  made  a  more  conspicuous  figure,  I  shall  en- 
deavour to  be  more  particular. 

There  are  four  religions  in  the  world:  viz.  the  Jew- 
ish, the  Christian,  the  Mahometan,  and  the  Pagan. 

It  is  allowed  that  the  world  contains  eight  hundred 
millions  of  souls  ;  having  for  their  rule  of  faith,  three 
books,  which  are  esteemed  as  revelations  of  the  divine 
will.  First :  Those  who  receive  the  sacred  Scriptures. 
Second :  The  Mahometans,  who  receive  the  Koran. 
Third :  The  Pagans,  who  have  their  own  writings. 
One  hundred  and  eighty  three  millions  only  are  Christians. 
One  hundred  and  thirty  millions  are  Mahometans.  Three 
millions  are  Jews  ;  and  most  painful  is  it  to  say,  that  the 
remainder,  amounting  to  four  hundred  and  eighty  seven 
tnillions,  are  Pagans. 

Christianity  divides  itself  into  three  professions. 
The  first  in  order  is, 

The  Eastern  church,  by  which  we  understand  the 
Greek  church. 

2d.  The  church  of  Rom,e. 

3d.  The  Protestant  church. 

Among  professors  of  Christianity,  there  are  three 
different  opinions  concerning  church  government.  Epis- 
copalian, that  which  is  governed  by  bishops  ;  Presbyteri- 
an, i.  e.  governed  by  a  body  of  elders  ;  and  that  of  the 
Independents,  who  are  neither  subject  to  bishops,  assem- 
blies, nor  presbyteries. 

There  are  three  sects,  holding  different  opinions 
respecting  the  object  of  divine  worship.  The  Trinitari- 
ans, the  Arians,  and  the  Unitarians.  There  also  exists 
a  great  difference  of  opinion  among  the  complex  body, 
as  to  the  means  by  which  salvation  is  given  to  men : 
13* 


150  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


this  again  is  divided  into  three,  viz.  the  Jlrminian,  the 
Cahinist,  and  the  Unitarian. 


A    BRIEF    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    DIFFERENT    SECTS    OF    THE 
CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 

Those  small  parties,  which  in  the  first  age  of  the 
Christian  church  have  hitherto  been  called  sects,  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  sufficiently  numerous  to  claim  that 
appellation.     They  were  but  half-converts,  mixing  the 
old  practices  of  the  idolaters  with  the  pure  doctrines 
: aught  by  Christ    and  the  apostles.     The  second  and 
third  chapters  of  the  Revelation  were  directed  to  the 
churches  of  Asia,  to  warn  them  from  falling  into  these 
pernicious  practices.     If  we  turn  to  the  writings  of  the 
first  Christian  fathers,  and  compare  what  they  have  said 
concerning  the  doctrines  and  worship  of  those  half-chris- 
tians,  we  shall  be  able  to  determine  who  they  were  that 
are  alluded  to  by  the  apostle  in  the  messages  to  the  sev- 
en churches,  which  has  escaped  the   notice  of  every 
writer  I  have  met  with  on  that  subject. 


THE    GNOSTICS. 

The  Gnostics  appear  to  have  been  the  immediate 
successors  of  the  apostles.  The  word  Gnostic,  from 
rvwcT/xos,  means  knowledge.  The  first  Gnostics  were 
certainly  the  best  philosophers,  and  the  most  learned 
among  the  original  descendants  of  the  apostles,  who  call- 
ed themselves  by  this  name,  because  of  the  true  know!- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


edge  communicated  to  them  in  the  gospels,  concerning 
religion  and  the  worship  of  God. 

According  to  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  there  were  two 
sorts  of  Gnostics ;  the  true  Gnostic,  or  the  true  follower  oj 
Christ ;  who  preserved  the  doctrine  pure,  as  it  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  apostles  :  and  the  various  sects  of  professing 
Christians,  who  corrupted  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  by 
incorporating  therewith  the  opinions  and  practices  of  the 
heathen  worshippers.  The  chief  of  these  were,  the  Kich- 
olaitans,  Carpocratians,  Cerinthians,  Ebionites,  Simonians, 
Valentinians,  and  Nazarenes  ;  all  originally  Gnostics,  but 
who  changed  this  name  for  that  of  the  leader  of  each  res- 
pective sect.  The  doctrines  put  forth  by  these  men,  ap- 
pear to  have  drawn  the  churches  from  the  truth  as  preach- 
ed by  the  apostles ;  and  were  the  cause  of  the  revelation 
being  given  to  John,  who  was  directed  to  write  to  the 
seven  churches. 

Among  the  professors  of  Christianity  at  this  early  pe- 
riod, there  appears  to  have  been  a  serious  falling  away 
from  the  truth,  as  delivered  by  the  apostles.  Even  the 
first  church,  to  which  John  was  directed  to  write,  had 
fallen  from  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  It  is  called  on 
to  do  its  first  works  ;  to  repent ;  from  which  we  are  au- 
thorized to  conclude,  that,  as  first  works  are  repentance  ; 
and  as  pride  is  the  opposite  of  humility,  or  a  state  of  re- 
pentance ;  pride  must  have  been  the  true  characteristic  of 
the  church  of  Ephesus  at  this  period  ;  therefore  it  is  call- 
ed on  to  repent  and  to  do  its  first  works. 

But  the  second  church,  that  is,  the  church  of  Smyrna, 
was  highly  approved,  viz.  "  I  know  thy  works,  and  trib- 
ulation and  poverty,  (but  thou  art  rich)  fear  none  of 
those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer,  behold  the  devil 
shall  cast  some  of  you  in  prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried  ; 
and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days  ;  be  thou  faithful 


152  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  From 
which  we  learn,  that  the  churches  of  Smyrna  (over 
which  the  angel  or  he  who  was  sent,  which  is  its  mean- 
ing-, to  preside,)  were  at  this  time  in  a  state  of  persecu- 
tion for  the  sake  of  the  gospel ;  but  they  are  here  en- 
couraged to  hold  out  to  the  end. 

At  the  time  when  the  apostle  was  directed  to  com- 
municate these  things  to  the  seven  superior  churches, 
there  was  a  violent  persecution  of  the  christians.  For 
the  third  church,  that  is,  the  church  in  Pergamos,  was 
highly  approved ;  and  although  it  was  surrounded  by 
persecutors,  yet  it  was  steadfast  in  the  faith,  condemned 
the  abomination  of  idol-worship,  and  sealed  the  truth 
with  its  blood.  Rev.  ii.  13.  "I  know  thy  works  and 
where  thou  dwellest  even  where  Satan's  seat  is  :  and 
thou  holdest  fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my  faith 
even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas  was  my  faithful  mar- 
tyr, who  was  slain  among  you  where  Satan  dwelleth." 

But  we  find  that  this  church  is  accused  of  keeping 
those  in  her  connexion,  who  were  of  the  opinion  of 
Nicholas  ;  who  held  the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  and  taught 
the  people  to  eat  of  the  sacrifices,  which  the  idolaters 
offered  to  their  idols.  This  was  an  accommodating  sys- 
tem, a  joining  of  idolatry  with  Christianity. 

The  fourth  church  noticed  by  the  apostle,  was  the 
church  of  Thyatira,  highly  spoken  of  for  its  charity,  faith, 
works,  service,  and  patience.  Patience,  no  doubt,  because 
of  its  steadfastness  in  the  faith  under  the  persecutions  of 
the  heathen  emperors.  But,  like  the  church  of  Perga- 
mos,  the  angel  (or  he  who  was  sent  to  govern  the  church) 
permitted  those  to  be  connected  with  them,  who  also 
were  worshippers  of  idols  ;  ver.  20.  "  Notwithstanding  I 
have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou  sufferest 
that  woman  Jezebel,  which  calleth  herself  a  prophetess, 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


to  teach  and  to  seduce  my  servants  to  commit  fornication, 
and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols.*'  This  woman,  Jez- 
ebel, seems  to  have  been  a  person  of  considerable  conse- 
quence among  the  people  of  Thyatira,  who  had  not  for- 
saken the  idolatrous  worship,  but  who  joined  it  with  the 
Christian  worship.  This  is  also  called  fornication,  a 
scripture  term  for  those  who  were  idolaters,  in  allusion 
to  departing  from  virtue.  This  church,  as  well  as  the 
church  of  Pergamos,  was  charged  with  keeping  in  its 
connexion  some  of  the  sect  of  Nicholaitans. 

The  fifth  church,  or  the  church  of  Sardis,  was  in  a 
very  low  state,  when  the  apostle  wrote  the  Revelation. 
But  yet  there  were  some  among  them,  who  held  fast 
their  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  ch.  iii.  4.  M  Thou  hast  a 
few  names  even  in  Sardis,  which  have  not  defiled  their 
garments,  and  they  shall  walk  with  me  in  white  ;  for 
they  are  worthy."  Worthy,  because  they  were  stead- 
fast, notwithstanding  they  were  persecuted  by  the 
heathens,  and  kept  themselves  unspotted  from  the  world. 

The  sixth  church,  or  the  church  of  Philadelphia,  was 
also  in  a  low  state,  on  account  of  the  persecutions.  But, 
nevertheless,  they  had  not  departed  from  the  faith.  We 
find  from  this  passage  that  the  idolaters  had  attempted 
to  shut  up  their  places  of  worship,  but  they  were  told, 
Rev.  iii.  8,  9,  10.  "  I  know  thy  works  :  behold,  I  have 
set  before  thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it ;  for 
thou  hast  a  little  strength,  and  hast  kept  my  word,  and 
hast  not  denied  my  name.  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of 
the  synagogue  of  Satan,  (i.  e.  the  idolatrous  worshippers) 
which,  say  they,  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  do  lie  ;  be- 
hold, I  will  make  them  to  come  and  worship  before  thy 
feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved  thee.  Because  thou 
hast  kept  the  word  of  my  patience,  I  will  also  keep  thee 


154  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


from  the  hour  of  temptation :"  viz.  during  the  persecu- 
tions of  the  Roman  tyrants. 

But  the  seventh  church,  or  the  church  of  Laodicea, 
was  in  that  state,  equally  disposed  either  to  join  the  idol- 
atry of  the  Laodiceans,  or  the  profession  of  Christianity  ; 
for  the  apostle  was  commanded  to  write,  "  I  know  thy 
works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot  ;  I  would  thou 
wert  cold  or  hot.  So  then,  because  thou  art  lukc-warm, 
and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my 
mouth.  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  increased 
with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing  ;  and  knowest  not 
that  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind, 
and  naked."  Nevertheless,  we  find  that  this  church  had 
been  earnest  in  promulgating  the  truths  of  the  Christian 
religion,  as  it  is  said  in  the  following  verse  :  "  As  many 
as  I  love  I  rebuke  and  chasten  ;  be  zealous,  therefore, 
and  repent  j"  but  had  greatly  fallen  away.  Neither 
does  it  appear,  that  they  had  fallen  away  from  principle, 
because  it  is  said,  u  as  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chas- 
ten :"  therefore,  it  must  have  been  occasioned  by  the 
very  severe  persecutions,  which  the  Christians  suffered 
from  the  Pagan  worshippers  of  that  day. 

The  first  society  of  professing  Christians  after  the 
apostles,  which  began  to  distinguish  itself  as  the  founder, 
or  inventor  of  something  new,  was  formed  by 


THE    NICHOLAITANS. 


The  Nicholaitan  prostitution  of  the  truths  of  the 
Christian  religion,  began  at  a  very  early  period.  Nich- 
olas, the  founder,  we  are  informed,  was  born  at  Antioch, 
before  the  evangelist  John  was  banished  to  Patmos.     He 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION^.  lol> 

was  one  of  the  seven,  mentioned  in  Acts,  vi.  and  on  that 
account,  calculated  to  do  much  injury  to  the  church. 

According  to  Irenaeus,  Tertullian  and  Austin,  the}? 
mixed  the  Jewish  and  Pagan  rites,  with  a  part  of  the  Chris- 
tian order  of  worship,  after  the  manner  of  Balaam,  who 
joined  a  part  of  the  Jewish  rites  with  the  practices  of 
the  idolatrous  heathens.  In  reference  to  which  it  is  said, 
Rev.  ii.  14.  "  because  thou  hast  there  them  that  hold 
the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a 
stumbling-block  before  the  children  of  Israel,  to  eat 
things  sacrificed  unto  idols.""  From  which  it  is  certain, 
that  idolatry  was  common  among  the  eastern  nations  at 
that  period,  and  that  Nicholas  revived  the  old  abomina- 
tion of  Balaam,  by  joining  the  idolatrous  rites  with  the 
Christian  order  of  worship. 

For  which  reason,  it  is  said,  Rev.  ii.  15.  "  So  hast 
thou  also  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicholai- 
tans,  which  thing  I  hate.*' 


THE    CARPOCRATIANS 

Began  their  heresy  also  in  the  time  of  the  evangelist 
John.     Their  founder  was  Carpocrates. 

They  held  that  faith  alone  was  only  necessary  for 
salvation  :  and  that  it  was  unnecessary  for  those  who 
had  this  faith,  to  have  good  works.  They  were  lovers 
of  magic  ;  men  of  bad  lives,  or  who  indulged  themselves 
in  sensual  practices  ;  and  they  taught  that  Christ  was  no 
more  than  another  man. 

These  followers  of  Carpocrates  appear  to  have  been 
connected  with  the  church  of  Pergamos  ;  for,  according 
to  the  above-mentioned  fathers,  they  joined  the  idola- 


156  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

trous  practice  of  eating  things  offered  up  to  idols,  as  men- 
tioned, Rev.  ii.  14.  with  the  Christian  order  of  worship. 
Therefore,  the  Carpocratians,  who  lived  at  this  time, 
must  necessarily  be  meant  by  those  who  are  thus  clearly 
described  by  the  apostle.  In  this  church  also,  there 
were  some  who  held  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicholaitans, 
Rev.  ii.  15. 


THE    CERINTHIANS    AND    E7BI0NITES. 

These  professors  also  lived  in  the  time  of  the  apos- 
tle John.  The  practice  of  eating  things  offered  to  idols, 
or  of  offering  the  sacrifice  to  the  idol,  and  then  eating  it, 
had  become  customary  among  the  followers  of  Cerin- 
thus,  who  wished  to  retain  a  little  of  the  old  idolatry. 

Cerinthus  lived  in  the  time  of  the  emperor  Domitian  : 
his  doctrines  were  much  the  same  as  those  taught  by 
Nicholas  and  Carpocrates.  They  admitted  only  the 
gospel  of  Matthew,  and  denied  the  divinity  of  Christ. 
Agreeably  to  the  above-mentioned  authorities,  they  be- 
longed to  the  church  of  Thyatira,  which  suffered  them 
to  remain  with  them,  through  the  influence  of  Jezebel, 
who  seduced  them  to  eat  things  offered  unto  idols.  Rev. 
ii.  20.  i.  e.  to  join  idolatry  to  Christianity. 

From  these  a  number  of  sects  sprang  up,  varying  but 
little  either  in  doctrine  or  practice  ;  till  the  heresy  of 
Sabellius  made  its  appearance  at  the  beginning  of  the 
third  century. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  167 


THE    SABELL1ANS 


Taught  that  there  was  but  one  person  in  the  God- 
head, and  that  this  was  the  Father.  They  believed  that 
the  Father  suffered,  and  were  on  that  account  called 


PATRIPASSIANS, 


Who  personified  the  Father,  or  divine  essence. 


ANTHROPOMORPHITES. 

This  is  a  compound  word,  from  the  Greek,  signifying 
the  form  of  man.  This  sect  appeared  in  the  early  ages 
of  the  Christian  church.  They  believed  that  God  was 
in  the  form  of  man,  and  were  on  that  account  called 
.liithropomorphites. 

They  were  first  called  Audiani,  from  Audeus  their 
leader,  who  lived  in  the  time  of  the  emperor  Valentinian, 
340  years  after  Christ. 

It  would  answer  no  valuable  purpose  to  notice  the 
little  variations  of  those,  who  attempted  to  differ  from 
the  generally  received  doctrine  and  practice  of  the 
church.  When  this  was  done,  though  but  of  a  trifling 
nature,  it  was  only  sanctioned  by  the  name  of  the  invent- 
or, who  by  it  obtained  notice  ;  yet  all  the  trifling  varia- 
tions have  by  some  writers  been  magnified  into  sects.  I 
therefore  pass  over  these,  who,  as  above  observed,  va- 
ried in  so  trifling  a  manner  from  the  Nicholaitans,  Car- 
14 


168  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION. 


pocratians,  Cerinthians,  and  Ebionites,  as  not  to  be  wor- 
thy of  notice  ;  they  were  individuals  lost  in  the  great 
body  of  the  professors  of  genuine  Christianity. 

For  the  first  three  hundred  years  after  Christ,  or 
until  the  time  of  the  famous  council  of  Nice,  nothing  of 
importance  arose  to  disturb  the  unity  of  the  church. 
Then  it  was  that  Arius  published  his  opinions  ;  and  a 
schism  being  thus  made,  separation  ensued,  and  new 
opinions  generated  different  sects.  From  this  period, 
we  must  necessarily  date  the  beginning  of  those  distinc- 
tions, which  have  taken  place  in  the  church  of  Christ. 


Having  said  as  much  as  is  necessary  concerning  those 
.sects  alluded  to  in  scripture,  and  by  the  first  fathers  of 
the  Christian  church,  I  shall  now  begin  with  the  sects 
which  immediately  appeared  after  the  Nicene  council ; 
and  conclude  by  defining  the  doctrines  of  the  different 
*«ects  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  they  are  at  this  day 
held  forth  in  Europe. 


THE    GREEK    CHURCH. 

The  Greek  Church  was  so  called,  because,  after  the 
dispersion  of  the  Jews,  the  scriptures  were  read  in 
Greek  :  for  as  the  Jews  only  were  in  possession  of  the 
Hebrew  language  ;  and  the  Greek  language  being  then 
spoken  and  understood  among  all  the  nations  of  the  Gre- 
cian empire  ;  the  Septuagint  translation  was  introduced ; 
and  the  gospels,  which  were  originally  written  by  the 
apostles  in  Hebrew,  tbe  language  of  their  country,  were 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


translated  into  the  Greek  tongue.  This  appears  to  have 
been  confirmed  by  the  apostle  Paul,  as  we  cannot  sup- 
pose that  he  wrote  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  in  Greek, 
a  language  which  the  great  mass  of  the  people  did  not 
understand.  But  the  time,  when  it  began  to  be  general- 
ly known  by  this  appellation,  was  when  Constantine  the 
Great  embraced  Christianity,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fourth  century. 

The  faith  and  worship  of  the  Greek  church  is  pro- 
fessed by  many  of  the  eastern  nations,  and  it  is  the 
established  form  of  religion  throughout  the  Russian  em- 
pire. They  use  the  liturgies  of  Basil  and  Chrysostom. 
The  service  is  read  in  ancient  and  modern  Greek ;  and 
in  some  places  they  read  it  in  the  Sclavonian  tongue. 
The  churches  subject  to  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople 
are  the  Russian,  Georgian,  and  Mingrelian.  The  east- 
ern churches  not  under  the  immediate  government  of 
the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  are  the  Armenian,  and 
the  A'estorian  :  the  Abyssinian,  Coptic,  and  Jacobite  Mon- 
ophysists,  are  also  subject  to  the  same  patriarch,  but 
differ  from  the  Armenian  and  Nestorian  churches ;  in 
as  much  as  the  word  Monophysist,  derived  from  ftoyes, 
solus,  and  <pv<rt{,  natura,  implies  their  belief  that  there 
is  only  one  nature  in  Christ,  Turkey  in  Europe  con- 
tains a  great  number  of  christians,  but  those  of  the  Greek 
church  are  the  most  numerous.  The  Patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople governs  the  church  with  an  authority  similar 
to  that,  which  has  been  exercised  by  the  Roman  pontiffs. 
The  next  dignitaries  in  order  after  the  patriarch,  are  the 
metropolitans.  The  number  of  the  metropolitans  was 
originally  seventy-two,  after  the  manner  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim of  the  Jews.  The  bishops  are  subject  to  the  me- 
tropolitan, 


160  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

They  retain  the  custom  of  the  Greek  fathers,  Basil 
and  Chrysostom,  of  reading  the  liturgy  in  the  Greek 
language.  The  sacrament  they  administer  in  both  kinds, 
viz.  the  bread  is  mixed  with  the  wine,  which  is  given 
together  with  the  words,  hoe  est  corpus  meum,  4  this  is  my 
body.' 

They  taught  that  the  traditions  of  the  church  are  of 
equal  authority  with  the  scriptures :  that  the  patriarch 
and  his  synod  have  authority  to  interpret  the  scripture, 
and  that  their  interpretation  is  infallible.  This  author- 
ity seems  to  be  acknowledged  at  present,  for  Peter  the 
Great,  of  Russia,  applied  for,  and  obtained,  the  sanction 
of  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople.  They  have  great 
faith  in  auricular  confession,  but  the  form  of  absolution 
is  deprecative  only  :  thus,  may  God  absolve  you.  They 
allow  their  priests  to  marry  once.  They  teach  that  we 
cannot  be  justified  by  faith  alone,  but  in  conjunction 
with  works  ;  agreeably  to  the  words  of  James.  "  Show 
me  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show  thee 
my  faith  by  my  works."  The  Greek  church  deny  the 
supremacy  and  the  infallibility  of  the  pope.  They  re- 
ceive the  decrees  of  the  first  seven  general  councils, 
viz.  Nice,  in  the  year  325;  Constantinople,  in  381; 
Ephesus,  in  431  ;  Chalcedon,  in  451  ;  Constantinople, 
in  553 ;  Constantinople,  in  680  ;  Nice,  in  787.  These 
they  receive  as  the  rule  of  faith.  They  believe  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father  only. 

With  regard  to  the  notions  of  a  few  individuals  at 
these  early  periods  of  the  church,  they  are  not  worthy 
of  notice  ;  and  though  they  have  been  magnified  into 
^ects  by  some  writers,  because  of  a  little  variation  in 
doctrine,  or  practice,  such  as  the  Nestorians,  from  Nes- 
torius,  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  400  years  after 
Christ ;  Pelagians,  from  Pelagius,  a  Briton,  382  ;  Jacob- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  161 

ites,  575 ;  Marcionites,  Coptic?,  Ophites,  Cainites,  Adam- 
ites, Theodotians,  Melchizedeckians,  Noetians,  Origen- 
ians,  Samosatenians,  Tertullians,  kc.  &c.  yet  they  were 
known  in  the  church  as  differing  in  some  non-essentials  ; 
but  they  were  so  few  in  number,  compared  with  the 
great  body  of  the  church,  that  it  would  be  improper  to 
call  them  sects.  It  would  only  be  a  waste  of  time  and 
paper,  to  introduce  their  variations ;  they  may  be  seen 
in  the  writings  of  the  Christian  fathers. 


THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 

Has  been  called  the  Latin  Church,  not  only  because 
the  service  is  read  in  Latin,  but  because,  about  the  time 
when  the  Roman  empire  had  arrived  at  the  zenith  of  its 
greatness,  the  Christian  religion  had  made  so  rapid  a 
progress  in  the  empire,  that  Paganism  had  become  the 
sport  of  the  people.  Tertullian  observes,  in  his  apolo- 
gy for  the  Christians,  "  Your  public  bodies,  your  senate, 
your  armies,  are  all  Christians:  we  have  left  you  only 
your  priests  and  your  temples."  For  this  reason  it  was, 
that  Constantine  afterwards  embraced  Christianity  :  the 
empire  became  Christian,  and  the  service  was  adminis- 
tered in  Latin,  which  was  the  vulgar  tongue.  The  su- 
preme head  is  the  pope  ;  the  next  in  order,  as  dignita- 
ries, are  the  cardinals  ;  but  they  have  not  any  authority 
in  the  hierarclry,  or  government  of  the  church  ;  it  rests 
with  the  pontiff  in  council. 

The  members  are  bound  tq  believe  that  "  this  church 
is  always  one,  by  all  its  members  professing  one  faith,  in 
one  communion,  under  one  chief  pastor,  succeeding  the 
apostle  Peter,  to  whom  Christ  committed  his  flock." 
14* 


Ui2 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

They  believe  that  u  with  this  church,  the  scriptures, 
both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  were  deposited  by 
the  apostles.  That  she  is,  in  her  pastors,  the  guardian 
and  interpreter  of  them.  That  these  scriptures,  thus 
interpreted,  together  with  the  traditions  of  the  apostles, 
are  to  be  received  and  admitted  by  all  christians  for  the 
rule  of  their  faith  and  practice." 

That  there  are  seven  sacraments,  instituted  by  Christ 
in  this  church,  which  are  instrumental  causes  of  divine 
grace  in  the  soul,  viz.  Baptism,  by  which  they  are  made 
children  of  God,  and  washed  from  sin. 

Confirmation,  by  which  they  receive  the  Holy  Ghost, 
by  the  imposition  of  the  hands  of  the  priest. 

The  Eucharist,  which  feeds  and  nourishes  the  soul 
with  the  real  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  really  present, 
under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,  or  under  either  of 
them. 

Penance,  by  which  penitent  sinners  are  absolved  from 
their  sins,  in  virtue  of  the  commission  given  by  Christ  to 
his  ministers. 

Extreme  unction,  which  wipes  away  the  relics  of  sin, 
and  arms  the  soul  with  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  time  of 
sickness. 

Holy  Orders,  by  which  the  ministers  of  God  are  con- 
secrated. 

Matrimony,  which  is  a  sacred  sign  of  the  indissoluble 
union  of  Christ  with  his  church. 

They  believe  that  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  the 
real  body  of  Christ  is  offered,  that  he  is  "  here  both  priest 
and  victim,  representing  in  person  his  death  and  passion 
to  his  Father.  That  in  this  sacrament  he  is  verily  and 
indeed  present,  that  here  is  his  body  and  blood,  soul  and 
divinity."  That  there  is  no  difference  between  the  of- 
fering of  the  mass,  and  the  offering  of  the  cross,  but  in 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  16; 


the  manner  of  the  offering,  as  Christ  offered  himself  up- 
on the  cross,  as  really  to  shed  his  blood  and  die  for  us ; 
whereas  now,  he  does  not  really  shed  his  blood  nor  die 
any  more  ;  and  therefore  this  is  called  an  unbloody  sacri- 
fice, and  that  of  the  cross  a  bloody  sacrifice. 

They  administer  the  sacrament  to  the  people  in  one 
kind  only,  in  the  form  of  a  wafer,  under  the  appearance 
of  bread,  but  the  priest  receives  in  both  kinds.  At  the 
consecration  of  the  bread,  he  pronounces  the  words, 
'  hoc  est  enim  corpus  meum,'  this  is  truly  my  body.  And 
at  the  consecration  of  the  wine,  he  pronounces  the  words, 
1  hie  est  enim  calix  sanguinis  mei,'  this  is  truly  my  blood. 

They  are  taught  to  believe  the  import  and  applica- 
tion of  the  following  words,  and  by  an  act  of  faith  to  pro- 
nounce them  at  the  altar : — "  I  most  firmly  believe,  that 
in  this  holy  sacrament  thou  art  present  verily  and  in- 
deed ;  that  here  is  thy  body  and  blood,  thy  soul  and  thy 
divinity  ;  I  believe  that  thou,  my  Saviour,  true  God,  and 
true  man,  art  really  here  ;  that  here  thou  communi- 
catest  thyself  to  us."  This  is  confirmed  in  their  Instruc- 
tions, and  Devotions  for  Communion,  p.  241.  "  The  per- 
son that  is  to  receive  the  blessed  sacrament  must  be  also 
fasting,  at  least  from  midnight,  by  the  command  of  the 
church,  and  by  a  most  ancient  and  apostolical  tradition, 
ordaining,  that  in  reverence  to  so  great  a  sacrament, 
nothing  should  enter  into  the  body  of  a  christian  before 
the  body  of  Christ.  Hence,  if  through  inadvertence,  or 
otherwise,  a  person  has  taken  any  thing,  though  never 
so  little,  after  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  he  must  by  no 
means  receive  that  day."  Thua^they  believe,  that  at 
the  consecration  of  the  elements,  when  the  priest  has 
pronounced  the  words,  this  is  truly  my  body,  the  bread  is 
truly  and  unequivocally  changed,  into  the  literal  flesh  of 
Christ ;  and  that  when  he  has  pronounced  the  words, 


164  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

this  is  truly  my  blood,  the  wine  is  truly  and  without  any 
figure  changed  into  the  literal  blood  of  Christ :  That  when 
the  priest  holds  up  the  bread,  and  pronounces  the  words, 
1  Ecce  Agnus  ille  Dei,  qui  tollit  peccatum  mundi,'  behold 
the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world, 
they  verily  profess  to  believe,  that  the  bread  is  the  Lamb 
of  God,  without  any  figure  of  speech  whatever  ;  and 
when  the  priest  gives  it  to  the  people,  they  are  thus 
taught: 

"  At  the  time  of  your  receiving,  let  your  head  be 
erect ;  take  up  the  towel  and  hold  it  before  you,  your 
mouth  opened  moderately  wide,  and  your  tongue  a  little 
advanced,  so  as  to  rest  upon  your  under  lip,  that  the 
priest  may  conveniently  convey  the  blessed  sacrament 
into  your  mouth  ;  which  being  done,  shut  your  mouth, 
let  the  sacred  host  moisten  a  little  upon  your  tongue,  and 
then  swallow  it  down  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  afterwards 
abstain  awhile  from  spitting.  If  the  host  should  chance 
to  6tick  to  the  roof  of  your  mouth,  be  not  disturbed,  nei- 
ther must  you  put  your  finger  into  your  mouth  to  remove 
it,  but  gently  and  quietly  remove  it  with  your  tongue." 

When  I  was  writing  on  this  subject,  I  had  some  doubts 
whether  they  did  not  mean  that  this  change  was  figura- 
tively to  be  understood  by  faith  ;  and  I  waited  on  their 
priests  to  gain  as  plain  a  definition  as  possible.  They 
informed  me  that  their  belief  was  perfectly  consistent 
with  what  was  said  in  their  manual ;  that  they  believed, 
when  the  priest  pronounced  the  words  at  the  consecra- 
tion, the  bread  was  as  literally  the  flesh  of  Christ,  as 
the  flesh  on  my  bones  Avas  flesh  ;  and  that  the  wine  was 
as  literally  the  blood  .of  Ckrist,  as  the  blood  in  my  veins 
was  blood. 

They  believe  that  the  angels,  and  particularly  those 
who  are  recorded  in  their  calendar  of  saints,  have  a  pe- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 1'65 

culiar  interest  with  God  to  intercede  in  their  favour ;  and 
therefore,  in  what  they  call  the  conjiteor,  they  thus  pray 
to  them : 

u  I  confess  to  Almighty  God,  to  blessed  Mary  ever 
virgin,  to  blessed  Michael  the  archangel,  to  blessed  John 
the  baptist,  to  the  holy  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  and  to 
all  the  saints,  that  I  have  sinned  exceedingly  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed,  through  my  fault,  through  my  most 
grievous  fault :  therefore  I  beseech  thee,  blessed  Mary, 
ever  virgin,  the  blessed  Michael  the  archangel,  the 
blessed  John  the  baptist,  the  holy  apostles,  Peter  and 
Paul,  and  all  the  saints,  to  pray  to  the  Lord  God  for  me ; 
may  the  Almighty  God  have  mercy  on  me,  and  forgive 
me  my  sins,  and  bring  me  to  everlasting  life,  amen. 
May  the  almighty  and  merciful  Lord  give  me  pardon, 
absolution,  and  remission  of  all  my  sin,  amen." 

When  they  implore  the  prayers  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
and  of  the  saints,  they  say  this  prayer : 

"  O  all  ye  blessed  angels  and  saints  of  God,  who  see 
him  face  to  face,  whom  I  here  receive  under  these  hum- 
ble veils  ;  and  thou  most  especially,  ever  blessed  Virgin, 
mother  of  this  same  God  and  Saviour,  in  whose  sacred 
womb  he  was  conceived  and  borne  for  nine  months  ;  I 
most  humbly  beg  the  assistance  of  your  prayers  and  in- 
tercession, that  I  may  in  such  manner  receive  him  here, 
in  this  place  of  banishment,  as  to  be  brought  one  day  to 
enjoy  him  with  you  in  our  true  country,  and  there  to 
praise  him  and  love  him  forever." 

In  one  of  their  litanies,  which  they  call  the  litany  of 
our  Lady  of  Loretto,  they  sing  as  an  anthem,  the  follow- 
ing ;  "  We  fly  to  thy  patronage,  O  holy  Mother  of  God  ; 
despise  not  our  petitions  in  our  necessities,  but  deliver 
us  from  all  dangers.     O  ever  glorious  and  blessed  Virgin, 


166 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Lord  have  mercy  upon  us,"  &c.  In  their  addresses  to 
her,  they  dignify  her  with  the  following  titles  : 

"  Holy  Mary,  Holy  Mother  of  God,  Holy  Virgin  of 
Virgins,  Mother  of  Christ,  Mother  of  Divine  Grace, 
Mother  Most  Pure,  Mother  Most  Chaste,  Mother  Unde- 
fined, Mother  Untouched,  Mother  Most  Amiable,  Mother 
Most  Admirable,  Mother  of  our  Creator,  Mother  of  our 
Redeemer,  Virgin  Most  Prudent,  Virgin  Most  Venerable, 
Virgin  Most  Renowned,  Virgin  Most  Powerful,  Virgin 
Most  Merciful,  Virgin  Most  Faithful,  Mirror  of  Justice, 
Seat  of  Wisdom,  Cause  of  Joy,  Spiritual  Vessel,  Vessel 
of  Honour,  Vessel  of  Singular  Devotion,  Mystical  Rose, 
Tower  of  David,  Tower  of  Ivory,  House  of  Gold,  Ark 
of  the  Covenant,  Gate  of  Heaven,  Morning  Star,  Health 
of  the  Weak,  Refuge  of  Sinners,  Comforter  of  the  Afflict- 
ed, Help  of  Christians,  Queen  of  Angels,  Queen  of  Pa- 
triarchs, Queen  of  Prophets,  Queen  of  Apostles,  Queen 
of  Martyrs,  Queen  of  Confessors,  Queeu  of  Virgins, 
Queen  of  all  Saints,  pray  for  us." 

The  council  of  Trent  decreed,  that  "  all  bishops  and 
pastors  who  have  the  care  of  souls,  do  diligently  instruct 
their  flocks,  that  it  is  good  and  profitable  to  desire  the 
intercession  of  saints  reigning  with  Christ  in  heaven." 
and  which  is  to  this  day  strictly  observed.  The  follow- 
ing is  extracted  from  their  manual,  in  the  Litany,  where 
they  thus  address  their  saints  : 

"  Holy  Mary,  Holy  Mother  of  God,  Holy  Virgin  of 
Virghis,  St.  Michael,  St.  Gabriel,  St.  Raphael,  All  ye 
holy  angels  and  archangels,  all  ye  holy  orders  of  blessed  spir- 
its. St.  John  Baptist,  St.  Joseph,  all  ye  holy  patriarchs 
and  prophets.  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  St.  Andrew,  St. 
James,  St.  John,  St.  Thomas,  St.  James,  St.  Philip, 
St.  Bartholomew,  St.  Matthew,  St.  Simon,  St.  Thadee, 
St  Matthias,    St.  Barnaby,   St.  Luke,  St.  Mark,    Ml  yc 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  167 

holy  apostles  and  evangelists  ;  all  ye  holy  disciples  of  our 
Lord  ;  all  ye  holy  innocents.  St.  Stephen,  St.  Laurence, 
St.  Vincent,  St.  Fabian  and  St.  Sebastian,  St.  John  and 
Paul,  St.  Cosmas  and  Damian,  St.  Gervase  and  Protase, 
All  ye  holy  martyrs.  St.  Sylvester,  St.  Gregory,  St.  Am- 
brose, St.  Augustine,  St.  Jerome,  St.  Martin,  St.  Nicho- 
las, All  ye  holy  bishops  and  confessors  ;  all  ye  holy  doctors. 
St.  Anthony,  St.  Bennet,  St.  Bernard,  St.  Dominick, 
St.  Francis,  All  ye  holy  priests  and  Lcvites  ;  all  ye  holy 
monks  and  hermits.  St.  Mary  Magdalene,  St.  Agatha, 
St.  Lucy,  St.  Agnes,  St.  Cecily,  St.  Catherine,  St.  Anas- 
tasia,  All  ye  holy  vii'gins  and  widows  ;  all  ye  men  and 
r*)omen,  saints  of  God,  make  intercession  for  us." 

They  believe  in  the  necessity  of  confession  and  abso- 
lution. Here  follows  the  method  of  confession,  as  it 
stands  in  their  manual : 

"  The  penitent,  kneeling  down,  at  the  side  of  his 
ghostly  father,  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  and  asks  his 
blessing.  Pray,  father,  give  mc  your  blessing,  for  I  have 
sinned.  Then  he  says  the  confiteor  in  Latin,  or  in  Eng- 
lish, as  far  as  mea  culpa  ;  through  my  fault.  After  this 
he  accuses  himself  of  his  sins,  either  through  the  order 
of  God's  commandments,  or  such  other  order,  as  he  finds 
most  helpful  to  his  memory,  adding  after  each  sin,  the 
number  of  times  that  he  has  been  guilty  of  it,  and  such 
circumstances  as  may  considerably  aggravate  the  guilt ; 
but  carefully  abstaining  from  such  as  are  impertinent  or 
unnecessary,  and  from  excuses  and  long  narrations." 

"  After  he  has  confessed  all  that  he  can  remember, 
he  concludes  with  this  or  the  like  form  :" 

'  For  these,  and  all  other  my  sins,  which  I  cannot  at 
this  present  call  to  my  remembrance,  I  am  heartily  sor- 
ry, purpose  amendment  for  the  future,  most  humbly  ask 


166 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

pardon  of  God,  and  penance  and  absolution  of  you,  my 
ghostly  father.' 

"  And  so  he  may  finish  his  confiteor,  and  then  give 
ear  to  the  instructions  and  advice  of  the  confessor.  The 
priest  then  pronounces  absolution,  saying,  /  absolve  thee. 
This  is  not  conditional,  or  declaratory,  but  absolute  and 
judicial.  Auricular  confession  was  first  decreed  in  the 
fourth  council  of  Lateran,  under  Innocent  III.  in  1215/' 

"  Whilst  the  priest  gives  him  absolution,  let  him  bow 
<Iown  his  head,  and  with  great  humility,  call  upon  God 
for  mercy,  and  beg  of  him  that  he  would  be  pleased  to 
pronounce  the  sentence  of  absolution  in  heaven,  whilst 
his  minister  absolves  him  on  earth.*5 

M  Let  him  be  careful  to  perform  his  penance  in  due 
time,  and  in  a  penitential  spirit." 

They  do  not  allow  those  who  are  in  their  communion 
ever  to  go  to  any  other  place  of  worship,  which  they 
call  "  denying  their  religion."  In  their  examination, 
before  they  go  for  absolution,  the  following  question  is 
asked,  p.  211. 

"  Have  you  by  word  or  deed  denied  your  religion  ? 
or  gone  to  the  churches  or  meetings  of  heretics,  so  as  to 
join  any  way  with  them  in  their  worship  ?  or  to  give 
scandal  ?  how  often  ?" 

They  do  not  allow  their  priests  to  marry  ;  this  is  a 
law  of  the  church,  which  they  acknowledge  to  be  not 
sanctioned  by  scripture.  They  say  that  he  who  has  the 
care  of  souls,  ought  not  to  be  encumbered  with  the 
troubles  of  domestic  life,  but  that  in  all  things  he  should 
be  devoted  to  God.  Pope  Gregory  VII.  about  the  year 
1073,  first  enjoined  this  at  Rome.  He  also  established 
it  in  England.  Anselm  was  the  first  archbishop  who  re- 
strained the  English  clergy  from  marrying,  in  a  Synod 
held  at  Westminster  in  1 102. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  169 


With  regard  to  the  primary  doctrines  of  this  church, 
they  say,  that  man  cannot  be  justified  by  faith  alone,  and 
that  a  geuuine  faith  can  only  be  known  by  good  works, 
agreeably  to  the  words  of  the  apostle,  "  show  me  thy 
faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show  thee  my  faith 
by  my  works. " 

Concerning  the  infallibility  of  the  pope,  they  believe 
that  he  may  err  in  matters  which  relate  to  private  opin- 
ion, depending  on  the  testimony  of  man,  as  a  private 
doctor;  but  that  he  cannot  err  when,  in  a  general  coun- 
cil, he  makes  decrees  of  faith,  or  general  precepts. 

They  do  not  admit  that  they  worship  images  so  as  to 
adore  them,  but  they  keep  them  to  preserve  the  remem- 
brance of  the  object.  Nor  do  the}'  allow  that  they  wor- 
ship the  Virgin  Mary.  They  sny  that  they  revere  her, 
and  they  think  this  consistent  with  scripture,  because  it 
is  written,  '  Hail  thou  that  art  highly  favoured,  the  Lord 
is  Avith  thee,  blessed  art  thou  among  women.'  Luke,  i.  28. 
and  again  ver.  48.  c  From  henceforth  all  generations  shall 
call  me  blessed.' 

They  make  a  distinction  between  mediator,  and  inter- 
cessor.    They  believe   in  one  Mediator  concerning  re- 
demption, but  that  we  may  have  many  mediators  for  in- 
tercession.    Thus  they  inform  us,  that  Moses  was  an  in- 
tercessor  for   the  Hebrews,   Job  for  his  friends  ;  that 
when  prayers  are  offered  for  the  sick,  the  congregation 
are  looked  up  to  as  intercessors,  agreeably  to  the  apos- 
tle.    James,   v.    14-— 16.    "Is    any  sick   among    you? 
let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church,  and  let  them 
pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord.     And  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick, 
and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up  ;  and  if  he  have  com- 
mitted sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him.     Confess  your 
faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,  that  ve 
15 


HO  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

may  be  healed  ;  the  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  right- 
eous man  availeth  much."  In  like  manner,  they  say, 
that  they  desire  the  blessed  in  heaven  to  be  their  inter- 
cessors 


MYSTERY    OF    THE    NUMBER    66Q. 

Rev.  xiii.   18. 

Many  writers  have  supposed,  that  the  account  in  Dan- 
iel, respecting  the  image  which  was  set  up  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, was  a  type  of  the  papal  power,  and  that 
i  he  worship  of  that  image  referred  to  the  worship  of 
I  he  Ptoman  Catholic  church.  Thus  they  have  confirm- 
ed themselves  in  this  opinion,  from  the  passage  in  the 
Revelation,  concerning  the  image  and  worship  of  the 
beast,  ver.  18.  u  Here  is  wisdom  ;  let  him  that  hath  un- 
derstanding count  the  number  of  the  beast,  for  it  is  the 
number  of  a  man,  and  his  number  is  six  hundred,  three- 
score and  six." 

The  sacred  scripture  does  not  say  that  we  cannot  ful- 
ty  understand  this  passage,  which  has  been  considered 
most  difficult  of  comprehension  ;  on  the  contrary,  we 
are  commanded  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  it.  In  order, 
therefore,  to  show  the  fallacy  of  such  a  supposition  as 
ihe  above,  I  shall,  although  many  have  been  the  at- 
tempts of  commentators  in  all  ages  of  the  Christian 
church  to  develope  this  great  mystery,  add  one  to  the 
list.  And  were  I  not  constrained,  by  the  existing  facts 
which  had  taken  place  in  the  time  of  John,  to  believe 
that  this  passage  was  so  understood  by  him,  I  should 
have  been  silent  respecting  this  most  abstruse  and  im- 
portant text. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  171 


Rev.  xiii.  15 — 18.  "  And  he  had  power  to  gi>e  life 
unto  the  image  of  the  beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast 
should  both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  man}'  as  would  not 
worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed.  And 
he  causeth  all  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free 
and  bond,  to  receive  a  maik  in  their  right  hand,  or  in 
their  foreheads  :  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save 
he  that  had  the  mark  or  the  name  of  the  beast,  or  the 
number  of  his  name.  Here  is  wisdom  :  let  him  that 
hath  understanding  count  the  number  of  the  beast,  for  it 
is  the  number  of  a  man,  and  his  number  is  six  hundred, 
threescore  and  six." 

Some  have  imagined,  that  this  mystical  number  re- 
lates to  a  king  ;  some,  to  a  kingdom  ;  and  others,  to  the 
pope.  But  the  Revelation  treats  of  the  different  states 
of  the  Christian  churches,  as  appears  from  the  second 
and  third  chapters,  where  the  churches  are  particularly 
spoken  of.  For  the  last  prepares  the  mind  for  what  fol- 
lows, respecting  the  states  of  all  the  churches  of  Christ; 
not  only  the  churches  of  Asia,  which  were  established 
in  the  time  of  the  evangelists,  but  also  of  the  states  of  all 
the  Christian  churches  to  the  end  of  time,  viz.  "  He  that 
hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  spirit  saith  unto  the 
churches.'"  Had  these  words  signified  the  churches  of 
Asia  only,  it  would  have  been  written,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  hath  said  unto  the  churches.  I  say,  as  this  is 
a  book  which  treats  concerning  the  different  states  of  the 
Christian  churches,  this  mystical  number,  which  is  said 
to  be  the  number  of  the  beast,  and  the  number  of  a  man, 
cannot  relate  to  kings,  kingdoms,  or  popes. 

The  Revelation  is  a  book,  which  was  always  under- 
stood by  the  fathers  of  the  first  Christian  churches,  to 
treat  concerning  spiritual  things,  or  things  relating  to  re- 
ligion.     J\m]  this  passage  plainly  refers  to  the  conquest 


172  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

and  depopulation  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  when 
the  true  worship  of  Gofl,  the  divine  theocracy,  with  the 
communication  by  Urim  and  Thummim  ceased  in  the 
year  of  the  Julian  period  4115,  when  'all  the  holy  ves- 
sels of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  the  treasures  of  the 
king?s  house,  were  taken  away  by  the  monarch  of  Baby- 
Ion,  who  cut  in  pieces  all  the  vessels  of  gold,  which 
Solomon,  king  of  Israel,  had  made  in  the  temple  of  the 
Lord  ;  and  carried  away  all  Jerusalem,  and  all  the  prin- 
ces, and  all  the  mighty  men  of  valour  captives,  even  ten 
thousand,  and  all  the  craftsmen,  and  smiths  ;  none  re- 
mained, save  the  poorer  sort  of  the  people  of  the  land,?* 
2  Kings,  xxiv. 

I  say,  that  this  number,  six  hundred,  three  score  and  six 
comprehends  the  interval  of  time  from  the  destruction  of 
(he  first  temple,  and  the  captivity  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 
when  the  Urim  and  the  Thummim,  the  Shechinah,  or  di- 
vine communication  ceased,  to  the  destruction  of  the  sec- 
ond temple,  by  the  Romans,  with  all  the  sacrificial  wor- 
ship, the  overthrow  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  dispersion  of 
the  nation,  which  was  669  years.  At  the  establishment 
of  the  Christian  religion,  all  these  circumstances  and 
things,  which  were  types,  given  under  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation, were  fulfilled  by  Christ,  by  whom  the  true 
spiritual  Urim  and  Thummim  were  to  be  communicated, 
agreeably   to  the  words  of  the  inspired  writer.     uLet 

■'This  ten  thousand,  in  the  original,  relates  to  the  princes  and 
all  the  mighty  men,  or  the  nobles,  for  we  cannot  suppose  that  the 
population  of  Jerusalem  consisted  of  ten  thousand  only,  when  in 
the  siege  which  took  place  eleven  years  after  this  period,  1,100,000 
perished.  Besides,  it  is  said,  when  he  took  Jerusalem,  and  carried 
the  people  into  captivity,  with  the  king  Jehoiakin,  and  the  nobles 
that  he  left  none,  save  the  poorer  sort  of  the  people  of  the  land. 
Joseph.  dzBtll. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  17* 

thy  Thummim  and  thy  Urim  be  with  thy  holy  one,"  the 
great  high-priest  of  God,  the  spiritual  Melchizedeck, 
the  king  of  righteousness. 

That  this  number  was  thus  understood,  and  so  applied 
by  the  evangelist,  is  evident.  If  we  subtract  the  year 
of  the  Julian  period,  4115,  at  the  destruction  of  the  first 
temple,  when  the  divine  communication  ceased,  from 
the  year  of  the  Julian  period,  at  the  birth  of  Christ, 
471 1,  the  remainder  is  596,  the  interval  of  time  between 
these  two  remarkable  epochas  ;  then,  if  to  this  remain- 
der, 596,  we  add  70  years  of  the  Christian  aera,  when 
Jerusalem  and  the  temple  were  destroyed  by  the  Ro- 
mans, at  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  religion,  it 
gives  us  this  mystical  number,  666  ;  comprehending  that 
interval  of  time  between  the  destruction  of  the  first  tem- 
ple, when  the  visible  divine  communication  ceased  for- 
ever— to  the  complete  destruction  of  the  second  temple, 
when  the  Christian  dispensation  was  confirmed,  agreea- 
bly to  those  words  of  our  Lord.  Luke  ix.  27.  'But  I  tell 
you  of  a  truth,  there  be  some  standing  here,  which  shall 
not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God,' 
when  the  spiritual  communication  was  given  to  the  Gen- 
tiles at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  dispersion 
of  the  Jews,  which  is  to  endure  forever.  So  that  this 
number  has  no  reference  to  kings,  kingdoms,  or  popes, 
as  has  been  supposed  for  many  centuries ;  but  it  refers 
to  the  time  when  the  divine  theocracy  ceased  in  the  trice 
visible  church  of  God,  among  the  Jews :  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  true  visible  church  of  God,  by  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  among  the  Gentiles, 
15* 


174  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


inf.    SYRIAN    CHRISTIAN    CHURCHES    IN    INDIA. 

Although  gross  darkness  seems  to  have  enveloped 
the  minds  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  people  of  India, 
we  find  that  the  ancient  Syrian  Christian  churches  have 
settled  there  from  the  early  ages  of  Christianity.  I 
shall  furnish  the  reader  with  a  few  extracts  from  Bu- 
chanan''s  Researches ;  the  author  having  visited  these 
churches  by  the  permission  and  authority  of  the  govern- 
or-general, the  Marquis  Wellesley,  who  gave  orders 
that  every  facility  should  be  afforded  to  him  in  the  pros- 
ecution of  his  inquiries.  He  says,  "  When  the  Portu- 
guese arrived,  they  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find 
upwards  of  a  hundred  Christian  churches  on  the  aoast 
of  Malabar.  But  when  they  became  acquainted  with  the 
purity  and  simplicity  of  their  worship,  they  were  offend- 
ed. c  These  churches,'  said  the  Portuguese,  c  belong  to 
the  pope.'  'Who  is  the  pope  ?'  said  the  natives;  'we 
never  heard  of  him.'  The  European  priests  were  yet 
more  alarmed  when  they  found  that  these  Hindoo  Chris- 
tians maintained  the  order  and  discipline  of  a  regular 
church  under  episcopal  jurisdiction,  and  that  for  1300 
years  past  they  had  enjoyed  a  succession  of  bishops,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Patriarch  of  Antioch.  '  We,'  said  they, 
;  are  of  the  true  faith,  whatever  you  from  the  west  may 
be  ;  for  we  come  from  the  place  where  the  followers  of 
Christ  were  first  called  Christians.'  " 

"  When  the  power  of  the  Portuguese  became  sufli- 
rient  for  their  purpose,  they  invaded  these  tranquil 
churches,  seized  some  of  their  clergy,  and  devoted  them 
to  the  death  of  heretics.     Then  the  inhabitants  heard., 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION?.  175 

for  the  first  time,  that  there  was  a  place  called  the  in- 
quisition, and  that  its  fires  had  been  lately  lighted  at  Goa, 
near  their  own  land.  But  the  Portuguese,  finding  that 
the  people  were  resolute  in  defending  their  ancient  faith, 
began  to  try  more  conciliatory  measures.  They  seized 
Ihe  Syrian  bishop,  Mar  Joseph,  sent  him  prisoner  to  Lis- 
bon, and  then  convened  a  Synod,  at  one  of  the  Syrian 
churches,  called  Diamper,  near  Cochin,  at  which  the 
Romish  archbishop  Menezes  presided.  At  this  compul- 
sory synod,  150  of  the  Syrian  clergy  appeared.  They 
were  accused  of  the  following  practices  and  opinions  : 
"  That  they  had  married  wives  ;  that  they  owned  but 
two  sacraments,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper ;  that 
they  neither  invoked  saints,  nor  worshipped  images,  nor 
believed  in  purgatory ;  and  that  they  had  no  other  or- 
ders, or  names  of  dignity  in  the  church,  than  bishop, 
priest  and  deacon."  These  tenets  they  were  called  on 
to  abjure,  or  to  suffer  suspension  from  all  church  bene- 
fices. It  was  also  decreed,  that  all  the  Syrian  books,  that 
could  be  found,  on  ecclesiastical  subjects,  should  be  burn- 
ed,'in  order,'  said  the  inquisitors,  'that  no  pretended 
apostolical  monuments  may  remain.'  " 

"  The  churches  on  the  sea-coast  were  thus  compel- 
led to  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  the  pope,  but  they 
refused  to  pray  in  Latin,  and  insisted  on  retaining  their 
own  language  and  liturgy.  This  point,  they  said,  they 
would  only  give  up  with  their  lives.  The  pope  com- 
promised with  them  ;  they  retain  their  Syriac  language, 
and  have  a  Syriac  college.  But  the  churches  in  the  in- 
terior would  not  yield  to  Rome  ;  they  proclaimed  eter- 
nal war  against  the  inquisition  ;  they  sought  the  protec- 
tion of  the  native  princes,  who  had  always  been  proud  of 
'heir  alliance." 


176  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


He  further  says,  "  The  first  Syrian  church  I  visited 
was  at  Mavelycar.*  They  had  been  often  visited  by 
Romish  emissaries  in  former  times,  and  they  at  first  sus- 
pected that  I  belonged  to  that  communion.  They  had 
heard  of  the  English,  but  strangely  supposed,  that  they 
belonged  to  the  church  of  the  pope  in  the  west.  They 
had  been  so  little  accustomed  to  see  a  friend,  that  they 
could  not  believe  I  came  with  any  friendly  purpose.  I 
had  discussions  with  a  most  intelligent  priest,  in  regard 
to  the  original  language  of  the  four  gospels,  which  he 
maintained  to  be  Syriac  ;  and  they  suspected  from  the 
complexion  of  my  argument,  that  I  wished  to  weaken 
the  evidences  for  their  antiquity. 

"  The  doctrines  of  the  Syrian  christians  are  few  in 
number,  but  pure,  and  agree  in  essential  points  with 
those  of  the  church  of  England  ;  so  that,  although  the 
body  of  the  church  appears  to  be  ignorant,  and  formal, 
and  dead,  there  are  individuals  who  are  alive  to  right- 
eousness ;  who  are  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  their 
purity  of  life,  and  are  sometimes  censured  for  too  rigid 
a  piety. 

"  The  following  are  the  chief  doctrines  of  this  an- 
cient church  : 

"  1st.  They  hold  the  doctrine  of  a  vicarious  atonement 
for  the  sins  of  men,  03-  the  blood  and  merits  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  justification  of  the  soul  before  God,  by  faith 
alone,  in  that  atonement. 

"  2d.  They  maintain  the  regeneration,  or  new  birth 
of  the  soul  to  righteousness,  by  the  influence  of  the  spirit 
of  God,  which  change  is  called,  in  their  books,  from  the 
Greek,  the  Mcta-Noia,  or  change  of  mind. 

'*  This  is  a  compound  Hebrew  word,  literally  tht  corn-pasture. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  177 

"  3d.  In  regard  to  the  trinity,  the  creed  of  the  Syr- 
ian christians  accords  with  that  of  St.  Athanasius,  but 
without  the  damnatory  clauses.  In  a  written  and  official 
communication  to  the  English  resident  at  Travancore, 
the  metropolitan  states  it  to  be  as  follows  :  We  believe 
in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  three  persons  in 
one  God,  neither  confounding-  the  persons,  nor  dividing 
the  substance,  one  in  three,  and  three  in  one  :  The 
Father  generator,  the  Son  generated,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  proceeding.  None  is  before  or  after  the  other ; 
in  majesty,  honour,  might  and  power,  they  are  coequal ; 
unity  in  trinity,  and  trinity  in  unity.  In  the  appointed 
lime,  through  the  disposition  of  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Son  appeared  on  earth  for  the  salvation  of 
mankind  :  he  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  through  the 
means  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  was  incarnate  God  and 
man."* 


BAPTISTS. 

Baptists  differ  only  from  other  sects  of  christians  as 
to  the  subject  and  the  manner  of  administering  baptism. 
They  say,  that  agreeably  to  the  command,  it  should  be 
done  b}'  immersion,  and  that  such  is  the  meaning  of 
Zwxri^a  :  therefore,  that  baptism  means  immersion,  and 
that  it  was  thus  understood  and  practised  by  the  apostles. 
That  Christ  went  down  into  the  river  Jordan  to  be  im- 

*  See  the  Ophion  ;  or  the  Theology  of  the  Serpent  and  the  Trin- 
ity in  Unity,  just  published,  8vo.  And  the  Biblical  criticisms  in 
the  Classical,  Biblical  and  OrientalJoarnal  (a  quarterly  publica- 
tion,) 


178  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

mersed  by  John.  That  the  person  who  administered 
the  ordinance,  and  the  person  baptised,  went  down  into 
the  water.  Acts  \  iii. — That  those  who  are  baptised  are 
said  to  be  buried  in  baptism,  which  language,  they  con- 
clude, could  not  with  any  degree  of  propriety  be  adopted, 
unless  it  signified  immersion.  That  it  is  thus  administered 
in  the  Greek  church,  and  that  it  is  also  ordered  to  be 
thus  administered  in  the  church  of  England. 

They  say  that  wrhen  Christ  commanded  the  disciples 
to  u  go  and  teach  all  nations,  baptising  them,"  such 
teaching  could  not  include  infants  f  therefore,  that  in- 
fant baptism  is  contrary  to  the  command,  and  that  it  must 
mean  adults  who  are  capable  of  being  taught.  But  they 
make  another  distinction.  They  hold,  that  all  adults 
who  are  capable  of  being  taught,  ought  not  to  be  baptis- 
ed, but  only  those  who  "  bring  forth  fruit  meet  for  re- 
pentance," agreeably  to  those  words,  "  Go  ye  into  all 
the  world,  nnd  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature ;  he 
that  believeth,  and  is  baptised,  shall  be  saved."  To 
persons  who  were  thus  convinced,  and  who  proved  their 
sincerity  b}'  an  example  of  obedience  to  the  divine  pre- 
cepts, they  contend,  baptism  was  only  administered  by 
the  apostles.  That  their  first  inquiry  was,  whether  they 
were  proper  subjects  for  baptism,  viz.  if  their  repent- 
ance was  sincere,  and  if  they  believed  in  Christ.  Acts 
viii.  12.  "But  when  they  believed  Philip,  preaching 
the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptised."  ver.  36.  37.  "  And 
the  eunuch  said,  see,  here  is  water,  what  doth  hinder 
me  to  be  baptised  ?  And  Philip  said,  if  thou  believes! 
with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest." 

Immersion  was  also  a  solemn  ceremony  under  the 
Mosaic  dispensation. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  Ha 


ANABAPTISTS. 

They  were  so  named,  because  they  rebaptised  their 
converts,  as  the  word  signifies.  This  custom  of  rebap- 
tising  when  of  an  adult  age,  is  not  modern.  In  the  early 
ages  of  the  church,  Donatus,  a  famous  minister,  separat- 
ed from  the  body  of  professors,  and  rebaptised  those 
who  were  capable  of  making  a  profession  of  their  faith, 
after  the  manner  of  the  eunuch. 


PARTICULAR    AND    GENERAL    BAPTISTS. 

Since  the  time  of  Calvin,  the  custom  of  rebaptising 
adults  was  for  a  long  time  confined  to  those  of  the  Cal- 
»inistic  persuasion  ;  but  of  late  years,  many  who  were 
not  receivers  of  that  doctrine,  but  who  were  strictly  Ar- 
minians,  embraced  the  same  opinion  respecting  this  an- 
cient rite.  There  now  was  a  necessity  for  a  distinction 
between  these  two  sects  ;  therefore,  the  first,  or  those 
who  believed  in  election,  were  termed  Particular  Bap- 
tists, and  the  other,  General  Baptists. 


SEVENTH    DAY    BAPTISTS 

Are  so  called,  because  they  keep  the  seventh  day 
as  the  sabbath,  and  consider  it  holy.  They  say  that 
there  is  not  any  command  in  scripture  for  keeping  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  and  that  the  command  to  keep  the 


180  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


seventh  day  was  never  abrogated  by  Christ.  In  every 
other  respect,  they  are  baptists,  either  general  or  par- 
ticular. 


F.EDOBAPTISTS. 

By  Paedobaptists,  are  meant,  those  who  baptised  in- 
fants. These  are  not  properly  a  sect,  as  all  established 
churches,  and  all  dissenters,  who  thus  administer  bap- 
tism, are  so  called. 

From  the  time  of  the  first  schism  of  Arius,  when  all 
the  Christian  world  was  thrown  into  confusion,  to  the 
sixteenth  century,  so  fruitful  was  the  mind  of  Christian 
professors  in  generating  new  opinions  in  religion,  that 
governments  thought  it  prudent  to  put  a  stop  to  any 
thing  of  this  nature,  by  enacting  laws  to  prevent  the  like 
confusion  in  future.  But  it  appears,  that  wealth  and 
power  are  dangerous  acquisitions,  when  employed  to 
regulate  religion,  and  to  direct  the  conscience.  It  has 
seldom  been  attended  with  happy  consequences,  except 
when  guided  by  a  power  superior  to  man.  Thus  they 
introduced  a  number  of  things,  which,  by  the  reformers, 
were  thought  to  be  so  inconsistent  with  the  pure  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  religion,  that  Martin  Luther,  an 
Augustine  friar,  began  to  oppose  the  authority  of  the 
Roman  pontiff;  and  his  numerous  followers  were  called 
after  him. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  18 i 


LUTHERANS. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  churches, 
when  they  were  not  subject  to  those  charges  which  have 
been  brought  against  them :    viz.  before  any  of  those 
things  were  superinduced,  which  have  given  offence  to 
other  sects  of  Christians,  such  as  bulls,  indulgences,  &c. 
In  order  to  prove,  that  these  things  were  neither 
Consistent  with  the  original  profession  of  the  Christian 
church,  nor  with  the  scriptures,  Martin  Luther,  an  Au- 
gustine  friar,    declared  war  against  the  doctrines  and 
practice  of  the  church  of  Rome.     He  opposed  the  use 
of  images — the  invocation  of  saints — excommunication — 
the  monastical  life — canonical  obedience — distinction  of 
meats — communion  under  one   kind. — He  taught,  that 
man  is  not  a.  free  agent,  that  he  is  justified  by  faith  alone — 
and  that  though  the  faithful  may  sin,  it  is  not  imputed 
to  them.     He  denied   the  supremacy  and  infallibility  of 
the  pope  ; — asserted,  that  bulls  and  indulgences  were  not 
consistent  with  scripture — he  denied  the  merit  of  works — 
transubstantiation — the  mass — auricular  confession — ab- 
solution— purgatory — orders — and  extreme  unction — be- 
ing five  out  of  seven  of  their  sacraments.     Hence  began 
what  is  called  the  reformation  from  the  errors  of  the 
church  of  Rome.     Many  of  the  higher  orders,  as  well  as 
the  generality  of  the  people  in  several  nations,  became 
Lutherans. 

But  it  appears,  that  some  of  Luther's  converts  did 
not  think  him  infallible.     A  new  sect  sprung  up  out  of 
<he  opinions  held  forth  by  him,  called 
16 


182  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


MORAVIANS. 

These  modern  professors  were  called  Moravians,  be 
cause    they   made    their   first   appearance    in   Moravia. 
They  separated  from  the  first  Anabaptists,  soon  after  the 
time  of  Calvin. 

They  originally  observed  many  of  the  outward  acts 
of  the  apostles,  such  as  washing  each  others  feet,  going 
bare-foot,  and  having  all  one  property  in  common,  after 
the  manner  of  a  sect,  which  arose  140  years  after  Christ, 
called  the  Apostolici,  because  they  observed  the  acts  of 
the  apostles.  They  are  subject  to  one  supreme  super- 
intendant  in  their  civil  department.  They  are  great  en- 
couragers  of  industry,  and  receive  none  into  their  con- 
nexion, but  those  who  follow  some  occupation.  They 
have  also  a  supreme  head  in  spirituals,  who  lays  down 
the  fundamental  principles  of  their  sect.  They  are  in- 
dustrious in  making  converts  to  their  opinions,  and  think 
it  their  duty  to  convert  the  heathen  to  Christianity.  On 
which  account,  they  send  missionaries  to  various  parts  of 
ihe  world  to  preach  the  gospel. 

Count  Zinzendorf,  a  German,  about  the  year  1740, 
was  the  great  supporter  of  the  opinions  of  this  sect  of 
dissenters,  from  the  old  Anabaptists  of  Moravia ;  who 
were  not  called  Moravians,  because  the  first  converts  to 
his  system  were  several  Moravian  families,  as  is  asserted 
by  some  ;  but  were  originally  called,  Fratres  Legis 
Christi,  Brethren  of  the  Law  of  Christ  ;  afterward  Unitas 
Fratrum,  the  United  Brethren,  and  the  Moravian  Brethren 
150  3'ears  before  his  time,  for  the  reason  above  given. 

They  believe  in  justification  by  faith  alone,  through 
grace  or  favour ;  they  avoid  saying  any  thing  on  partic- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  183 

ular  redemption,  and  do  not  call  themselves  either  Cal- 
vinists  or  Arminians.  They  think  they  are  spiritually 
joined  in  the  great  family  of  those  who  love  and  fear 
God.  The  order  of  their  church  is  episcopal,  and  they 
are  very  particular  as  to  those  who  are  to  succeed  as 
bishops.  They  think  episcopal  ordination  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  the  patriarchal  and  apostolic  institutions, 
because  it  was  the  order  in  the  patriarchal  churches ; 
and  the  apostle  says,  Acts  i.  20.  "  For  it  is  written  in  the 
Psalms,  let  his  habitation  be  desolate,  and  let  no  man 
dwell  therein ;  and  his  bishoprick  let  another  take." 
Phil.  i.  1.  u  to  all  the  saints  of  Christ  Jesus,  who  are  at 
Philippi,  with  the  bishops  and  deacons."  1  Tim.  iii.  1. 
"  desire  the  office  of  bishop." 

In  their  deliberations,  which  are  conducted  by  syn- 
ods after  the  custom  of  the  first  Christian  churches,  if 
any  thing  of  very  considerable  importance  be  brought 
forward,  the  result  of  which  is  doubtful,  they  have  re- 
course to  the  ancient  custom  of  deciding  it  by  lot,  which 
they  think  is  consistent  with  the  scripture,  Jonah  i.  7. 
u  And  they  said  every  one  to  his  fellow,  come  let  us  cast 
lots,  that  we  may  know  for  whose  cause  this  evil  is  upon 
us  ;  so  they  cast  lots,  and  the  lot  fell  upon  Jonah." 
Acts  i.  26.  "  the  lot  fell  on  Matthias."  But  whether  this 
method  be  the  same  as  was  resorted  to  by  the  ancient 
Hebrews,  or  by  the  apostles,  is  not  for  me  to  determine 
in  this  work.  I  believe  the  Moravians  are  the  only  sect 
of  Christians  who  attend  to  any  thing  of  this  nature. 

They  think  themselves  peculiarly  called  to  carry 
the  gospel  to  the  heathen  :  and  in  this  labour  they  have 
succeeded  to  admiration  in  almost  every  part  of  the 
world. 


184  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


AXTITRLNTTARIAXS. 

These  professors  revived  the  opinions  of  the  Arians, 
and  Samosatenians,  who  denied  the  existence  of  a  trinity 
of  persons  in  the  divine  nature. 


THE  ANTINOMIANS 

Are  so  called  from  uvrt,  against,  and  vo/tos,  the  lauy 
because  they  reject  the  law.  They  are  also  by  some 
called  Solifidians,  from  solus  l  alone,'1  and  fides  ''faith  ;' 
and  affirm  that  nothing  is  required  but  faith,  which  is 
held  forth  in  the  gospel ;  that  neither  good  works,  nor 
evil  works,  can  forward,  or  prevent  eternal  happiness  -y 
as  those  who  have  faith  cannot  sin,  let  them  do  what 
they  will.  They  took  their  rise  from  Agricola  at  the 
beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  ;  and  they  made 
their  appearance  in  England  at  the  beginning  of  the  sev- 
enteenth century.  These  and  a  great  many  more  of 
less  note  are  mentioned  in  the  writings  of  Florimundus. 
Raymundus  de  Origine  Heres. 


CALVIXISTS 

Were  so  denominated  from  John  Calvin,  one  of  the 
reformers  in  the  sixteenth  century.  But  there  were 
professors  of  this  description  in  the  Christian  church  al 
a  very  early  period,  about  the  year  380,  who  were  call- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  18S 

ed  Predestinati.  And  in  the  ninth  century  the  follow- 
ers of  the  German  monk,  Godescalus,  were  called  after 
these  first  professors,  Predestinarians.  They  taught 
that  God,  who  must  necessarily  know  all  things  before 
he  created  man,  decreed  those  things  which  should  come 
to  pass ;  and  that  to  deny  this  would  be  to  allow  that 
there  was  a  power  superior  to  him,  by  whom  these  things 
were  ordained  ;  therefore  they  held,  that  his  purposes 
and  decrees  were  eternal,  as  nothing  future  can  be  pred- 
icated concerning  him. 

Calvin  taught,  that  God  predestinated  a  certain  num- 
ber to  eternal  life  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  in- 
dependently of  any  merit  in  themselves.  That  his  grace 
which  operates  in  them  irresistibly,  against  the  power 
of  their  own  will,  forces  them  to  accept  the  terms  of  sal- 
vation by  Christ  :  this  they  call  irresistible  grace. 

The  principal  tenets  of  Calvinism  have  been  called, 
the  Jive  points,  viz.  predestination,  original  sin,  particular 
redemption,  irresistible  grace,  and  the  perseverance  of  the 
saints.  But  there  is  no  necessity  for  these  distinctions  ; 
there  is  no  difference  between  particular  redemption,  ir- 
resistible grace,  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  and  predesti- 
nation ;  for  predestination  comprehends  them  all.  Who- 
ever are  predestinated  are  also  particularly  redeemed,  are 
to  have  irresistible  grace,  and  must  of  necessity  persevere  to 
the  end.  So  that  these  five  points,  which  were  so  called 
by  the  synod  of  Dort,  are  properly  resolved  into  two 
points,  viz.  predestination  and  original  sin. 

The}'  hold,  that  ail  who  were  not  thus  elected  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  God  has  been  pleased  to  re- 
ject, and  that  in  his  eternal  council  he  separated  them 
from  the  elect  vessels  of  mercy,  as  monuments  of  his 
wrath,  to  satisfy  his  offended  justice. 
1G* 


1S6  HISTORY  of  all  religions. 

Others  of  the  Calvinists  have  been  more  moderate, 
and  have  held,  that  God  was  always  as  a  tender  father, 
reconciled  to  man  ;  but  that  man,  "  who  loved  darkness 
rather  than  light,  because  his  deeds  were  evil,"  was  not 
reconciled  to  God.  And  in  proof  of  this  they  quote  2 
Cor.  v.  18.  "  And  all  things  are  of  God,  who  hath  re- 
conciled us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ."  And  again,  ver. 
20.  "  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as 
though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  :•  we  pray  you  in 
Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." 

Calvin  condemned  the  doctrines  and  practice  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  respecting  the  invocation  of  saints,  the 
worship  of  images,  purgatory,  confession,  prayers  for  the 
dead. 


PRESBYTERIANS 

Also  believe  in  election  and  reprobation.  They  are 
isO  called  from  npee-fivrepos,  an  elder  ;  because  they  hold 
that  the  first  Christian  churches  were  governed  by  pres- 
byters and  elders,  which  kind  of  government  they  have 
adopted.  They  believe  that  the  authority  to  preach 
and  minister  is  given  by  the  imposition  of  the  hands  of 
the  presbytery,  who  are  the  general  body  of  the  minis- 
ters in  an  assembly,  all  possessing  equal  powers,  equal 
offices,  and  equal  honours  ;  consequently,  that  a  presby- 
ter is  the  highest  order  in  the  church  of  Christ.  They 
pray  standing,  after  the  manner  of  the  Agoniclyta?  in  the 
eighth  century. 

As  there  are  several  sects  who  profess  to  be  Unitari- 
ans, it  becomes  necessary  to  make  a  distinction,  not  only 
with  regard  to  some  particulars  of  their  opinions,  but 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  187 

also  with  respect  to  the  name  of  the  founder,  or  reviver 
of  such  opinions,  whose  name  has  been  chosen  to  point 
out  their  own  sect. 


ARIAN    UNITARIANS. 

^hey  are  so  named  from  Arius,  a  priest  of  Alexan- 
dria, who  published  his  opinions  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fourth  century ;  which  so  disturbed  the  church,  that  a 
grand  council  was  convened  at  Nice,  of  nearly  all  the 
bishops  of  Asia,  Africa  and  Europe.  Arians  hold  the 
following  opinions : 

They  deny  the  existence  of  three  persons  in  the  di- 
vine nature,  and  maintain  that  the  soul  which  animated 
the  body  of  Christ,  was  a  pre-existent  spirit,  superior  to 
the  highest  cherubim  and  seraphim,  but  that  he  was  not 
produced  out  of  the  substance  of  the  Father ;  created, 
not  begotten.  They  therefore  reject  the  worship  of 
Christ,  deny  that  his  death  was  a  satisfaction  for  the  sins 
of  men,  and  that  man  is  to  be  saved  by  his  own  works 
and  merit.  They  admit  that  this  great  spirit  is  the  Lo- 
gos, or  medium  by  whom  God  created  all  things,  but  yet 
a  creature  produced  out  of  nothing,  the  maker  of  angels, 
archangels,  thrones,  dominions,  powers,  the  whole  hie- 
rarchy of  heaven,  and  all  material  nature.  Thus,  that  he 
is  the  passive  instrument  of  the  infinite  Jehovah,  and 
under  him  the  supreme  administrator  of  the  divine  prov- 
idence. That  by  him  was  given  the  divine  dispensations, 
the  communications  to  the  patriarchs  and  prophets ;  and 
that  he  appeared  to  Moses,  to  Abraham,  to  his  chosen 
people,  and  led  the  Hebrews  through  the  wilderness,  as 
the  representative  of  the  supreme  Jehovah,  agreeably 


188  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


to  that  declaration,  "  behold  mine  angel  shall  go  before 
thee." 


SOCINIAN    UNITARIANS. 

The  reviver  of  the  Unitarian  doctrines  in  Europe  was 
Faustus  Socinus,  an  inhabitant  of  Sienna  in  Tuscany; 
and  his  followers  have  been  called  after  him  Socinians. 
They  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  was  no  more  than  man  : 
that  he  was  the  natural  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  and  that 
he  had  no  existence  prior  to  his  birth  :  that  on  account 
of  the  very  extraordinary  things  which  were  to  be  done 
for  the  church,  the  Almighty  translated  him  to  heaven, 
by  that  divine  power  which  they  call  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  opened  to  him  his  divine  will  respecting  man  :  that 
lie  descended  to  promulgate  the  divine  truths  he  had  re- 
ceived, and  thus  became,  under  God,  the  founder  of  the 
religion  which  was  called  after  him,  the  Christian  reli- 
gion. 

They  do  not  believe  that  the  death  of  Christ  is  a 
propitiation  for  sin:  consequently  they  deny  the  atone- 
ment, the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  altogeth- 
er reject  the  idea  of  a  compensation,  or  of  a  satisfaction 
to  divine  justice.  They  believe  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
not  a  distinct  person,  but  by  the  appointment  of  the 
Father,  Christ  is  become,  under  him,  an  object  of  invo- 
cation and  worship,  and  that  on  account  of  this  dignified 
situation,  to  which  it  has  pleased  the  Father  to  raise  him, 
he  is  called  God  by  the  sacred  writers. 

They  believe,  that  there  is  no  original  sin  in  us,  as  it 
implies  an  imperfection  in  nature  :  that  we  have  a  free 
will  to  do  good,  and  that  it  is  in  our  power  to  fulfil  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  189 

law :  that  the  cause  of  election  and  reprobation  is  not 
from  God,  but  in  ourselves,  and  that  he  doth  not  predes- 
tinate any  person  to  salvation :  that  man  being  born 
spotless,  and  without  sin,  has  the  power  in  himself,  inde- 
pendent of  divine  grace,  to  repent,  and  to  become  holy 
and  acceptable  to  God ;  consequently,  that  the  divine  fa- 
vour is  only  to  be  obtained  by  our  own  works  and  merits  : 
that  the  Gospel  is  not  superior  to  the  law,  as  the  law 
qualified  man  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  There  are 
other  professors  of  Unitarianism,  who  reject  the  name  of 
Socinians,  and  called  themselves 


UNITARIANS. 

These  professors  believe  in  the  sole,  exclusive  and 
incommunicable  divinity  of  God  ;  deny  the  personal  ex- 
istence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  on  this  ground  declare  it 
to  be  contrary  to  scripture  and  reason  to  worship  any 
other  being  than  the  one  supreme  Jehovah,  who  is  the 
only  object  of  prayer  and  adoration.  They  ascribe  nei- 
ther attributes,  nor  works,  nor  honours  to  Christ,  which 
reason  and  revelation  appropriate  to  God.  Not  believ- 
ing in  the  pre-existence  of  Christ,  they  declare  him  to 
be  the  natural  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  and  that  all  the 
benefits  we  derive  from  him  consist  in  the  bright  exam- 
ple he  set  before  us.  These  professors  are  in  the  strict- 
est sense  Unitarians,  because  they  maintain  the  unity  of 
God  to  the  total  exclusion  of  Christ,  and  acknowledge 
him  only  as  a  prophet  of  God,  a  mortal  man,  but  u  the 
most  complete  character  that  was  ever  exhibited  to  the 
world." 

These  opinions  were  propagated  in  the  early  ages 
»f  the  church,  by  the  Ebionites,  by  the  Carpocratians  in 


190  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  second  century,  in  the  third  century  by  the  follow- 
ers of  Paul  of  Samosata,  who  were  called  Samosaten- 
ians,  in  the  fourth  century  by  Photinus  a  bishop  of  Gala- 
tia,  and  lastly,  by  Socinus  in  the  sixteenth  century. 


SA  BELLI  AN    UNITARIANS 

Were  so  called  from  Sabellius,  bishop  of  Pentapolis, 
in  Africa.  These  professors  believe,  that  Jehovah,  the 
incomprehensible,  unsearchable,  and  incommunicable 
principles  of  Deity,  was  manifested  in  a  visible  human 
form:  that  there  was  but  one  person  in  the  Godhead, 
and  that  this  was  the  Father.  Thus,  by  personifying 
the  divine  essence,  they  were  called 


PATRIPASSIANS, 

Who  taught  that  the  Father,  or  the  divine  essence 
suffered.  Thus  they  totally  excluded  the  person  of 
Christ,  and  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They 
were  the  highest  order  of  Unitarians,  but  it  will  appear 
to  the  intelligent  reader,  that  if  finite  beings  attempt  to 
personify  the  eternal,  infinite  and  incomprehensible  Je- 
hovah, they  greatly  err  :  such  pretenders  convict  them- 
selves in  point  of  possibility  ;  it  is  a  contradiction  in  plain 
terms,  for  that  which  is  finite  to  comprehend  the  infinite  1 
the  created,  the  creator !  man  cannot  sketch  his  ideas 
beyond  the  finite  line  which  is  marked  by  the  infinite ; 
were  this  possible,  he  would  be  equal  with  God.  By 
personifying  the  Deity,  it  is  an  attempt  to  comprehend 
him  who  is  incomprehensible,  infinite,  and  uncreated: 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  19 1 


It  is  expressly  said,  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ; 
the  only  begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
ther, he  hath  declared  him."  John,  i.  18. 


TRINITARIANS 

Believe  that  there  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead, 
the  Father,  the  Sen,  and  the  Holy  Spirit :  that  the  Son 
came  forth  from  the  substance  of  the  Father,  and  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  : 
that  the  Father  is  the  fountain  of  Deity,  but  that  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  all  other  respects  are  equal  to 
him,  and  are  united  with  him,  by  what  is  called  by  the 
ancient  Nicene  fathers,  Emperichoresis,  viz.  a  recipro- 
cal penetration  of  each  other's  substance.  This  would 
have  been  much  better  expressed,  easier  of  comprehen- 
sion, and  more  consistent  with  the  perfections  of  Deity  j 
if  it  had  been  said  by  those  venerable  fathers,  that  by 
the  ubiquity  of  the  divine  nature,  i.  e.  omnipresence, 
existing  at  the  same  time  in  all  places  ;  which,  however 
inconceivable  to  man,  must  be  necessarily  admitted  ;  the 
three  Persons  in  the  Trinity  must  always  be  present  to 
each  other. 


THE    ANCIENT   ARMENIAN    CHURCH. 

The  history  of  the  Armenian  Greek  church  is  very 
interesting.  Of  all  the  Christians  in  central  Asia,  they 
have  withstood  the  persecutions  of  the  Mahometans, 
even  when  the  seven  churches,  who  had  the  immediate 


192  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

communication  with  the  apostle,  almost  exhausted  by 
suffering  and  death,  had  at  length  been  compelled  to  re- 
ceive the  religion  of  the  impostor  at  the  point  of  the 
sword.  "  The  Armenians  have  maintained  their  inde- 
pendence, their  ancient  scripture,  doctrines  and  wor- 
ship, to  this  day."*  Their  proper  country  is  Armenia, 
from  which  they  are  called  Armenians. 

Armenia  is  under  the  Persian  government,  and  pro- 
fesses to  be  of  the  ancient  patriarchal  church,  which  first 
received  the  New  Testament,  translated  into  the  Greek 
after  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews.  Dr.  Buchanan  in  his 
Christian  Researches  in  Asia,  says^  "  The  Bible  was  trans- 
lated into  the  Armenian  language  in  the  fifth  century, 
under  very  auspicious  circumstances.  It  has  been  allow- 
ed, by  competent  judges  of  the  language,  to  be  a  mosl 
faithful  translation:  La  Croze  calls  it.  queen  of  versions." 


ARMINIANS. 

The  modern  Arminians  have  been  sometimes  mistak- 
en for  the  people  of  Armenia,  who  are  of  the  Greek 
church,  and  have  their  own  patriarchs  ;  but  Christian 
sects  do  not  take  their  denomination  from  the  country 
they  inhabit. 

They  were  a  sect  so  called  from  Arminius,  who  was 
a  divine  of  Leyden,  and  in  1605,  he  caused  a  separation 
from  the  Calvinists.  They  believe  in  free-will ;  they 
believe  that  man  has  a  power  to  resist  the  offers  of  mer- 
cy, and  that  election  to  eternal  life  is  grounded  in  the 
will  of  God  to  save  such,  as  he  knows  about  to  believe 

*  Christian  Researches,  p.  239. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  193 

and  continue  in  obedience  :  consequently,  that  reproba- 
tion is  oniy  the  result  of  his  foreknowledge  concerning 
those,  who  live  and  die  in  violation  of  the  precepts  of 
the  sacred  scriptures  :  that  though  Christ  by  his  tempt- 
ations, sufferings  and  death,  made  an  atonement  for  all 
mankind,  yet  none  but  those,  who  were  foreseen  would 
be  faithful  to  death,  can  possibly  obtain  everlasting  life. 
That,  "  as  every  good  and  perfect  gift  cometh  from 
the  Father  of  light,*1  so  they  say  that  this  divine  grace 
is  a  gift,  that  man  cannot  have  any  merit,  and  that  good 
works  are  of  God  only.  But  they  likewise  hold,  that  this 
grace  may  be  so  resisted,  and  rejected  by  man.  as  to  be 
ineffectual  in  procuring  for  him  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 
The}'  also  believe,  that  those  u  who  have  tasted  the  good 
word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,1' 
who  have  been  regenerate  in  heart  and  life,  may  finally 
fall  from  this  state  of  grace  and  die  in  sin  ;  agreeably  to 
those  words  of  the  apostle,  u  But  I  keep  under  my  body, 
and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by  any  means,  when 
i  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  cast- 
away." 


SUPRALAFSARIANS 

Also  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  predestination.  They 
are  the  most  rigid  of  all  those,  who  profess  to  receive 
the  doctrine  of  election. 

They  hold,  that  God  had  no  other  view  than  to  mag- 
nify his  attributes;  by  the  salvation  of  some,  his  mercy ; 
and  by  the  condemnation  of  others,  his  justice  ;  and 
therefore,  that  he  ordained  the  fall  of  man  from  eternity. 
But  as  this  was  also  the  belief  of  the  ancient  sect  called 
17 


194  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  Predestinati,  and  as  it  is  consistent  with  the  belief  of 
the  modern  professors  of  Calvinism,  to  that  head  I  refer 
the  reader. 


SUBLArSARIANS 

Believe  in  the  doctrine  of  predestination.  But  they 
hold,  that  Adam  was  created  in  full  liberty  to  stand  or 
fall ;  that  by  an  abuse  of  that  liberty,  God  permitted 
him  to  fall,  and  that  all  men,  having  thus  fallen  in  Adam, 
are  eternally  lost,  except  such,  as  by  the  determinate 
council  of  God  were  predestinated  to  eternal  life. 


PURITAXS. 

About  the  same  time  that  the  Socinians  began  to 
form  themselves  into  a  body,  a  sect  arose  in  England, 
called  Puritans.  But  this  was  only  a  new  name  for  an 
old  profession.  They  were  Calvinists,  and  the  name 
Puritan  was  given,  because,  like  them,  they  pretended 
to  be  purer  than  the  professors  of  the  day.  Neverthe- 
less, they  are  said  by  respectable  writers  to  have  been 
an  upright,  and  a  sincere  people. 


INDEPENDENTS 

Are    so  named,  because,  as  to  their  church  govern- 
ment, every  congregation  is  independent  of  each  other. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  196 


They  are  neither  subject  to  synods,  assemblies,  nor  pres- 
byteries ;  but  the  elders  of  each  congregation  govern 
their  own  members. 

With  regard  to  their  opinions,  they  are  much  the 
same  as  the  Calvinists  and  the  Presbyterians.  They 
allow  all  to  preach  who  think  themselves  capable,  and 
will  not  baptise  any  who  are  not  of  their  own- congrega- 
tion. They  receive  the  sacrament  sitting,  and  will  not 
communicate  with  those  who  are  of  another  persuasion. 

They  were  not  known  as  a  body,  or  sect,  until  the 
time  of  Elizabeth.  They  were  called  Puritans  by  way 
of  reproach,  because  they  were  particular  in  inculcating 
a  purer  kind  of  life  than  the  professors  of  the  time. 
They  were  also  stigmatized  by  the  term  Novatians  ;  for, 
as  Novatius  formed  a  distinct  sect,  on  account  of  the 
dissolute  abuses  prevailing  in  the  church  of  Rome,  so  the 
Independents  separated  from  the  established  church  of 
England  about  the  year  1 580. 


QUAKERS. 

The  Quakers  arose  in  England,  about  the  time  of 
Oliver  Cromwell.  George  Fox,  a  man  of  unblamable  life 
and  conversation,  born  at  Drayton,  in  Leicestershire, 
was  the  first  of  this  sect. 

They  were  so  called  in  derision,  because  George 
Fox,  when  he  was  committed  to  Derby  gaol,  for  promul- 
gating their  principles  openly,  by  preaching  the  neces- 
sity of  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul,  told  the  magistrates 
who  committed  him,  to  tremble  at  the  word  of  the  Lord. 
But  that  has  passed  away,  and  the  term  Quaker  is  be- 
come respectable,     Yet  they  term  themselves  the  Soci- 


J 96  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


ety  of  Friends.      They  address  each  other  by  their  chris- 
tian name. 

They  call  those  who  preach,  ministers.  In  their 
meeting's  they  sit  covered,  except  when  at  prayer,  dur- 
ing- which,  the  mini-tor  kneeling,  they  all  rise  :  the 
men  uncover  their  heads,  and  all  remain  standing  till  the 
prayer  is  ended,  when  they  resume  their  former  order, 
and  again  wait  in  silence.  They  believe,  that  silent 
waiting  for  the  secret  influence  of  the  spirit,  is  more 
consistent  with  the  religion  of  the  heart,  than  a  ceremo- 
nial, or  formal  order  of  worship  ;  that  silent  meetings 
are  frequently  more  beneficial  to  their  inward  state  of 
retirement. 

They  believe  in  the  fall  of  man,  in  the  coming  of 
Christ  in  the  flesh,  and  in  all  those  things  which  are 
written  in  the  scripture  concerning  him  ;  and  that  Christ 
is  that  "  light  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  in- 
to the  world."  They  believe  in  immediate  revelation, 
which  is  confirmed  by  1  Cor.  xii.  3.  "  No  man  can  say 
that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Spirit,"  and  that 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  are  one  God.  But  they 
are  averse  to  unnecessary  inquiries  into  subjects  which 
are  above  the  limited  ideas  of  finite  beings,  as  not  tend- 
ing to  increase  vital  godliness.  They  maintain  that  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  imparted  to  the  regenerate, 
to  whom  he  tc  is  made  wisdom  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption."  1  Cor.  i.  30.  That  we 
are  justified  if  we  follow  and  obey  the  teaching  of  the 
inward  light.  That  the  reception  of  the  inward  light 
1o  the  renewing  of  the  heart  is  the  true  baptism,  agree- 
ably to  those  words,  "  For  John  truly  baptised  with 
water  ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptised  with  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Acts  i.  5.     Thus  they  believe,  that  water  baptism  is  not 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  19? 

essential :  and  that  there  are  no  visible  sacraments  re- 
quired to  be  observed. 

They  do  not  believe  in  a  partial  cleansing  from  sin 
only,  but  that  purity  of  heart  is  to  be  obtained  in  this 
life,  agreeably  to  those  words  of  John,  "  If  we  confess 
our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.1' 

As  oaths  are  forbidden,  they  conform  themselves  to 
this  command,  swear  not  at  all.  They  have  always  been 
uniform  in  showing  their  abhorrence  of  war,  by  under- 
going great  deprivations  on  that  account,  until  govern- 
ment, convinced  that  they  objected  from  conscientious 
motives,  has  included  them  in  the  act  as  exempt  from 
military  service,  but  obliges  them  to  suffer  distraint  when 
they  are  chosen  to  serve  in  the  militia. 

In  like  manner,-they  object  to  the  payment  of  tythe, 
which  they  consider  as  a  kind  of  spiritual  oppression, 
suffer  much  in  their  property,  and  have  sometimes  been 
deprived  of  their  liberty  on  this  account. 

They  hold,  that  those  who  minister  should  do  it  with- 
out fee  or  reward,  which  was  the  opinion  of  a  sect  called 
the  Albanenses,  who  arose  in  France  in  the  eighth  cen- 
tury. They  say  the  gospel  is  neither  to  be  bought  nor 
sold  :  yet  when  their  ministers  travel,  their  expenses  are 
sometimes  defrayed. 

They  believe,  that  the  letter  only  is  not  the  rule  to 
try  the  spirit,  but  they  consider  the  scriptures  as  the  rule 
of  life,  and  as  the  test  whereby  doctrines  must  be  prov- 
ed ;  they  believe  also,  that  when  this  outward  rule  is  not 
made  living  in  the  heart,  by  that  light  which  lighteth 
every  man,  which  is  Christ,  the  true  word  or  anointed 
in  the  heart,  the  hope  of  glory,  it  remains  a  dead  letter, 
agreeably  to  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  iii.  6.  "  who  hath  made 
us  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  not  of  the  letter, 
17* 


198  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


but  of  the  spirit,  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giv- 
eth  life.*'  Laving,  therefore,  little  stress  on  outward 
ceremonies,  they  endeavour  to  raise  their  affections  to 
a  pure  internal  devotion  ;  to  a  state  of  passive  humble 
contemplation,  silently  attending  to  the  working  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  on  the  mind,  agreeably  to  those  words, 
Isaiah  xli.  1.  "  Keep  silence  before  me," — Amos  v.  13. 
"  The  prudent  shall  keep  silence," — Hab.  ii.  20.  "  But 
the  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple  ;  let  all  the  earth  keep 
silence  before  him."  On  this  ground  it  is,  that  they 
have  thought  all  formal,  or  ceremonial  worship  unneces- 
sary, because  it  has  a  tendency  to  divert  the  mind  from 
.the  one  thing  needful,  viz.  silently  watching  and  waiting 
for  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  agreeably  to  those 
words,  Luke  xi.  13.  "  How  much  more  shall  your  heaven- 
ly Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him." 
And  2  Thess.  iii.  5.  "  And  the  Lord  direct  your  hearts 
into  the  love  of  God,  and  into  the  patient  waiting  for 
Christ."  That  this  inward  influence  is  in  perfect  agree- 
ment with  the  words  of  the  prophet,  "  Behold  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant 
with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah, 
not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their 
fathers,  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring 
them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  but  this  shall  be  the  cov- 
enant that.  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel  after  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward 
parts,  and  write  it  on  their  hearts." 

They  recommend  plainness  in  apparel,  agreeably  to 
the  direction  of  the  apostle,  1  Tim.  ii.  9.  "  In  like  man- 
ner also,  that  women  adorn  themselves  in  modest  apparel, 
with  sbamefaccdness,  and  with  sobriety,  not  with  broid- 
ered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly  array."  They 
think  it  right,  as  it  is  consistent  with  scripture,  to  address 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  199 


each  other  in  the  singular,  thee  and  thou.  They  allow 
of  no  distinction  by  way  of  pre-eminence,  such  as  sir  ; 
nor  flattering  titles,  except  they  be  such  as  are  necessa- 
rily attached  to  situations  in  life,  as  the  king,  prince, 
duke,  &c.  They  avoid  unmeaning  compliments,  such 
as  your  most  obedient  humble  servant,  <$*c.  and  when  they 
separate,  their  custom  is,  to  use  the  expressive  word, 
farewell.  Their  members,  either  male  or  female,  who 
believe  themselves  called  to  the  office  of  the  ministry, 
are  at  liberty  to  minister,  but  such  are  not  recognised  as 
preachers  until  they  are  acknowledged  by  the  members 
of  the  meeting  to  which  they  belong. 

They  justify  the  practice  of  women  preaching,  on  this 
ground,  that  as  male  and  female  are  one  in  Christ,  so  the 
female  has  an  equal  right  to  minister.  And  from  the 
words  of  the  apostle,  Acts  xxi.  9.  "  And  the  same  man 
had  four  daughters,  virgins,  who  did  prophesy. "  Chap.  ii. 
16 — 18.  "  But  this  is  that  which  was  spoken  by  the  proph- 
et Joel.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days  (saith 
God)  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  :  and  your 
sons  and  daughters  shall  prophesy,  and  on  my  servants 
and  on  my  handmaidens  I  will  pour  out  in  those  days  of 
my  Spirit,  and  they  shall  prophesy."  Romans  xvi.  1. 
•'  I  commend  unto  you  Phcebe,  our  sister,  who  is  a  servant 
of  the  church  which  is  at  Cenchrea/5  Ver.  12.  "Salute 
Tryphena  and  Tryphosa,  who  labour  in  the  Lord."" 

But  the  Quakers  are  not  the  only  sect  of  religious 
professors  who  have  permitted  women  to  preach.  The 
custom  of  women  speaking,  or  preaching,  is  very  ancient. 
The  Pepuzians,  in  the  second  century,  soon  after  the 
time  of  the  apostle  John,  permitted  women  to  fill  the 
office  of  bishop,  to  preach  and  to  administer  the  sacra- 
ment.    But  like  the  Acephali,  who  separated  from  the 


200  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Eutychians,  460  years  after  Christ,  the  Quakers  have 
neither  bishop,  priest,  nor  sacrament. 

To  effect  the  salutary  purposes  of  discipline,  meet- 
ings were  appointed,  at  an  early  period  of  the  society, 
which,  from  the  times  of  their  being  held,  were  called 
quarterly  meetings.  It  was  afterwards  found  expedient 
to  divide  the  districts  of  those  meetings,  and  to  meet 
more  frequently ;  from  which  arose  monthly  meetings, 
subordinate  to  those  held  quarterly.  At  length,  in  1669, 
a  yearly  meeting  was  established,  to  superintend,  assist 
and  provide  rules  for  the  whole  :  previously  to  which, 
general  meetings  had  been  occasionally  held.  A  month- 
ly meeting  is  usually  composed  of  several  particular  con- 
gregations, situated  within  a  convenient  distance  from 
each  other.  Its  business  is,  to  provide  for  the  subsist- 
ence of  the  poor,  and  for  the  education  of  their  offspring  ; 
to  judge  of  the  sincerity  and  fitness  of  persons  appearing 
to  be  convinced  of  the  religious  principles  of  the  society, 
and  desiring  to  be  admitted  into  membership  ;  to  excite 
due  attention  to  the  discharge  of  religious  and  moral  du- 
ty ;  and  to  deal  with  disorderly  members.  Monthly 
meetings  also,  grant  to  such  of  their  members  as  remove 
into  other  monthly  meetings,  certificates  of  their  mem- 
bership and  conduct  ;  without  which  they  cannnot  gain 
membership  in  such  meetings.  Each  monthly  meeting 
is  required  to  appoint  certain  persons,  under  the  name  of 
overseers,  who  are  to  take  care  that  the  rules  of  their 
discipline  be  put  in  practice  ;  and  when  any  case  of  com- 
plaint, or  disorderly  conduct,  comes  to  their  knowledge, 
to  see  that  private  admonition,  agreeably  to  the  gospel 
rule  before  mentioned,  be  given,  previously  to  its  being 
laid  before  the  monthly  meeting. 

When  a  case  is  introduced,  it  is  usual  for  a  small 
committee  to  be  appointed,  to  visit  the  offender,  to  en- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  201 

deavour  to  convince  him  of  his  error,  and  induce  him  to 
forsake  and  condemn  it.  If  they  succeed,  the  person  is, 
by  minute,  "declared  to  have  made  satisfaction  for  the 
offence  ;  if  not,  he  is  disowned  as  a  member  of  the 
society. 

In  disputes  between  individuals,  it  has  long  been  the 
decided  judgment  of  the  society,  that  its  members  should 
not  sue  each  other  at  law.  It  therefore  enjoins  all  to 
end  their  differences  by  speedy  and  impartial  arbitration, 
agreeably  to  rules  laid  down.  If  any  refuse  to  adopt 
this  mode,  or,  having  adopted  it,  to  submit  to  the  award, 
it  is  the  direction  of  the  nearly  meeting  that  such  be 
disowned. 

To  monthly  meetings  also  belongs  the  allowing  of 
marriages  ;  for  their  society  has  always  scrupled  to  ac- 
knowledge the  exclusive  authority  of  the  priests  in  the 
solemnization  of  marriage.  Those  who  intend  to  mar- 
ry, appear  together,  and  propose  their  intention  to  the 
monthly  meeting  ;  and  if  not  attended  by  their  parents 
or  guardians,  produce  a  written  certificate  of  their  con- 
sent, signed  in  the  presence  of  witnesses.  The  meeting 
then  appoints  a  committee,  to  inquire,  whether  they  be 
clear  of  other  engagements  respecting  marriage  ;  and 
if,  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  no  objections  be  reported, 
they  have  the  meeting's  consent  to  solemnize  their  in- 
tended marriage.  This  is  done  in  a  public  meeting  for 
worship,  towards  the  close  Avhereof  the  parties  stand  up, 
and  solemnly  take  each  other  for  husband  and  wife.  A 
certificate  of  the  proceedings  is  then  publicly  °ad,  and 
signed  by  the  parties,  and  afterwards  by  the  relations 
and  others,  as  witnesses.  Of  such  marriages,  the  month- 
ly meeting  keeps  a  record  ;  as  also  of  the  births  and 
burials  of  its  members.  A  certificate  of  the  date,  of  the 
name  of  the  infant,  and  of  its  parents,  signed  by  those 


202  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


present  at  the  birth,  is  the  subject  of  one  of  these  last 
mentioned  records  ;  and  an  order  for  the  interment, 
countersigned  by  the  grave-maker,  of  the  Other.  The 
naming  of  children  is  without  ceremon}'.  Burials  are 
also  conducted  in  a  simple  manner.  The  body,  followed 
by  the  relations  and  friends,  is  sometimes,  previously  to 
interment,  carried  to  a  meeting,  and  at  the  grave  a 
pause  is  generally  made  ;  on  both  which  occasions  it 
frequently  falls  out,  that  one  or  more  friends  present 
have  somewhat  to  express  for  the  edification  of  those 
who  attend  :  but  no  religious  rite  is  considered  as  an  es- 
sential part  of  burial. 

Several  monthly  meetings  compose  a  quarterly  meet- 
ing. At  the  quarterly  meeting  are  produced  written  an- 
swers from  the  monthly  meetings,  to  certain  queries  res- 
pecting the  conduct  of  their  members,  and  the  meetings' 
care  over  them.  The  accounts  thus  received,  are  digest- 
ed into  one,  which  is  sent  also  in  the  form  of  answers  to 
queries,  by  representatives,  to  the  yearly  meeting.  Ap- 
peals from  the  judgment  of  monthly  meetings,  are 
brought  to  the  quarterly  meetings,  whose  business  also  it 
is,  to  assist  in  any  difficult  case,  or  where  remissness  ap- 
pears in  the  care  of  the  monthly  meetings  over  the  indi- 
viduals who  compose  them. 

The  yearly  meeting  has  the  general  superintendence 
of  the  society  in  the  country  in  which  it  is  established  ;* 
and  therefore,  as  the  accounts  which  it  receives  discover 
the  state  of  inferior  meetings,  as  particular  exigencies 
require,  or  as  the  meeting  is  impressed  with  a  sense  of 
duty,  it  gives  forth  its  advice,  makes  such  regulations  as 

*  There  are  seven  yearly  meetings,  viz.  1  London,  to  which 
come  representatives  from  Ireland,  2  New-England,  3  New-York, 
4  Pennsylvania  and  New-Jersey,  5  Maryland,  6  Virginia,  7  The 
Carolinas  and  Georgia. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  203 

appear  to  be  requisite,  or  excites  to  the  observance  of 
those  already  made  ;  and  sometimes  appoints  committees 
to  visit  those  quarterly  meetings  which  appear  to  be  in 
need  of  immediate  advice.  Appeals  from  the  judgment 
of  quarterly  meetings  are  here  finally  determined  ;  and 
a  brotherly  correspondence  by  epistles,  is  maintained 
with  other  yearly  meetings. 

In  this  place  it  is  proper  to  add,  that  as  they  believe 
women  to  be  entitled  to  the  office  of  the  ministry,  they 
also  think,  that  to  them  belongs  a  share  in  the  support  of 
their  christian  discipline  ;  and  that  some  parts  of  it, 
wherein  their  own  sex  is  concerned,  devolve  on  them 
with  peculiar  propriety.  Accordingly,  they  have  month- 
ly, quarterly  and  yearly,  meetings  of  their  own  sex,  held 
at  the  same  time  with  those  of  the  men  ;  but  separately, 
and  without  the  power  of  making  rules  :  and  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  during  the  persecutions,  which  formerly 
occasioned  the  imprisonment  of  so  many  of  the  men,  the 
care  of  the  poor  often  fell  on  the  women,  and  was  by 
them  satisfactorily  administered. 

They  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  be  learned  in  order 
to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  divine  things,  as,  they  say, 
the  true  light  will  teach  all  who  follow  its  dictates.  By 
their  gentle  manners  and  quiet  Conduct,  they  have  ob- 
tained much  respect,  and  though  they  had  the  sole  juris- 
diction of  the  whole  province  of  Pennsylvania,  they  nev- 
er have  persecuted  others  for  a  difference  of  opinion.  It 
was  a  government  established  without  arms  ;  by  treaties 
made  without  oaths  ;  and,  what  is  more  to  be  admired,  as 
worthy  of  imitation  by  all  governments,  and  will  redound 
to  their  credit  to  the  latest  posterity,  they  never  broke 
their  treaties  with  the  native  Indians. 

Even  at  this  day,  so  high  a  veneration  have  the  na- 
tive Indians,  who  live  in  the  back  settlements,  for  these 


204  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION?. 


original  settlers,  that  if  any  one  travels  through  the  In- 
dian tribes  in  the  habit  of  a  Quaker,  it  is  his  best  de- 
fence ;  he  travels  secure,  and  meets  with  all  that  hospi- 
tality, which  the  Christian  religion  so  strongly  inculcates, 
towards  those  who  are  strangers  in  a  strange  land. 


METHOEISTS 

Are  properly  understood  to  be  those,  who  are  fol- 
lowers of  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  who,  with  several  oth- 
ers at  the  university,  spent  his  evenings  in  reading  and 
expounding  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  originals.  He  was 
joined  by  his  brother,  Charles  Wesley,  and  soon  after- 
ward by  the  Rev.  George  Whitfield. 

The  Methodists  profess  to  hold  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  their  purity,  therefore  do  not  al- 
low, that  they  have  separated  from  her  communion. 

John  Wesley  was  a  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College,  Ox- 
ford ;  a  man  of  exemplary  life,  unaffected  in  his  man- 
ners, without  any  austerit}',  or  singularity  in  his  deport- 
ment; he  was  a  true  gentleman  and  a  sincere  christian. 
He  preached  extemporary  sermons,  contrary  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  ministers  of  the  established  church  :  he  was 
at  length  prohibited  from  preaching  in  her  pulpits,  but 
we  are  informed  in  his  Journal,  that  he  had  no  desire,  or 
design  to  preach  in  the  open  air,  till  after  his  prohibi- 
tion. From  the  plain  and  familiar  manner  in  which  he 
addressed  his  congregations,  his  preaching  had  a  pecu- 
liar effect  on  the  people.  This  easy  method  of  commu- 
nicating his  thoughts  encouraged  others  to  follow  his  ex- 
ample. He  then  preached  in  rooms,  and,  on  the  press- 
ing invitation  of  Mr.  Whitfield,  followed  his  example. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  205 


by  preaching  in  the  open  fields.  He  was,  nevertheless, 
at  first  averse  to  any  one  preaching  but  the  clergy  regu- 
larly ordained  ;  how  he  was  led  to  permit,  and  after- 
wards to  encourage  others  to  preach,  may  be  seen,  in  a 
work  written  by  Mr.  Benson.*  Thus  by  degrees,  as  they 
increased,  and  as  necessity  called  for  fresh  supplies  of 
preachers,  he  sent  them  to  preach  in  different  parts  of 
the  nation. 

But  in  order  to  keep  them  together,  he  found  it  was 
necessary  to  establish  certain  rules,  which  he  termed 
"  The  rules  of  the  United  Society,"  see  Apol.  sec.  8. 
He  appointed  one  of  the  brethren  to  preach  to  them, 
and  sent  others  to  preach  in  the  neighbouring  villages, 
who  were  called  local  preachers.  A  meeting  was  also 
appointed  once  a  quarter,  when  the  smaller  societies 
within  a  few  miles  round  a  central  town,  which  was  es- 
teemed the  centre  of  this  little  circuit,  assembled  there 
to  join  in  what  is  termed  a  love-feast,  after  the  custom  of 
the  first  Christians.  None  but  those  joined  in  society, 
are  permitted  to  be  present,  unless  they  have  notes  from 
one  of  the  preachers,  signifying  that  they  are  proper 
persons,  seriously  inclined,  to  be  admitted.  At  this  time, 
all  who  feel  themselves  at  liberty  so  to  do,  declare  their 
experience. 

It  was  found  necessary,  in  order  to  watch  over  their 
moral  conduct,  to  bring  them  to  a  closer  union,  by  ap- 
pointing small  parties  of  ten  or  twelve  persons,  which 
they  called  a  class.  One  of  this  small  assembly  was  fix- 
ed on  to  lead  them,  and  he  was  in  consequence  called, 
the  class-leader.  They  meet  for  one  hour ;  the  busi- 
ness of  the  leader  is,  to  give  out  a  hymn,  to  pray  with 
them,  to  ask  each  concerning  the  spiritual  state  of  his 
mind,  and  to  reprove,  encourage   and  exhort  them  to 

*  An  Apology  for  the  People  called  Methodist?.     Sect.  5. 
18 


206  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

proceed  in  the  spiritual  course,  by  endeavouring  to  keep 
a  conscience  void  of  offence  both  towards  God  and  man. 

This  wise  leader  found,  that  his  method  succeeded 
in  binding  them  together  in  closer  union,  and  in  order  to 
promote  still  further  their  growth  in  piety,  other  meet- 
ings of  a  more  select  nature,  each  consisting  of  four  or 
five,  were  established.  The  persons  forming  these 
were  supposed  to  be  more  experienced  in  the  spiritual 
warfare,  than  the  major  part  of  those  who  met  in  class 
This  was  called  a  band,  and  these  meetings,  band-meet- 
ings. In  these  lesser  associations,  the  men  and  women 
do  not  meet  together,  but  each  sex  has  two  distinct  bands, 
the  married  and  the  unmarried. 

As  all  the  societies,  for  some  miles  round  the  centra] 
town,  formed  one  great  society  quarterly,  so  from  the 
different  bands,  a  considerable  number  assembled  gener- 
ally once  a  week  after  their  evening  service,  called  the 
body-band.  By  these  methods,  the  increase  was  so  con- 
siderable, and  the  subjects,  which  required  deliberate 
investigation,  so  numerous,  that  it  was  'found  necessary 
to  appoint  a  yearly  meeting  after  the  manner  of  the 
Quakers,  which  they  call  a  conference.  These  confer- 
ences were  held  in  different  towns  successively ;  during 
the  life  of  Mr.  Wesley,  at  London,  Bristol,  Leeds  and 
Manchester  ;  but  since  his  death,  they  have  been  held 
at  Sheffield  and  Liverpool.  At  these  meetings  he  al- 
ways presided,  and  did  not  usually  permit  any  except 
the  travelling  preachers  to  confer,  who  each  represent- 
ed the  societies  in  the  circuit  where  he  had  been  station- 
ed the  preceding  year. 

The  term  Methodist  was  not  at  first  chosen  by  them- 
selves, as  may  be  seen  in  the  Apology,  before  mentioned, 
sec.  i.j>.  24.  from  which  I  make  the  following  extract: 
"  This  increasing  strictness  in  their  way  of  living,  con 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  207 

stancy  in  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace,  and  readiness 
to  do  every  good  work,  drew  down  upon  them  still 
greater  ridicule  from  the  gentlemen  of  the  university. 
Their  common  appellation  now  was,  the  Sacramcntari- 
ans,  the  Godly  Club,  and  by  and  by,  they  were  termed 
Methodists.  This  last  title  was  given  them  in  the  first 
instance,  by  a  fellow  of  Merton  College,  in  allusion  to 
an  ancient  college  of  physicians  at  Rome,  who  were  re- 
markable for  putting  their  patients  under  regimen,  and 
were  therefore    termed  Methodists." 

As  a  religious  society,  they  are  the  most  numerous 
in  the  kingdom  ;  the  numbers  now  joined  in  Great  Brit- 
ain are  145,579  ;  in  Ireland,  28,149;  in  the  West  In- 
dies, 11,890;  in  Nova  Scotia,  1,390;  and  in  America, 
170,000;  total,  357,155.  The  number  of  preachers 
in  Great  Britain,  are  677  ;  in  Ireland,  125  ;  in  the  British 
dominions  in  America,  and  the  West  Indies,  40  ;  total  of 
preachers,  842,  all  travelling  preachers,  by  which  is  un- 
derstood, those  who  are  given  up  to  the  service  of  the 
ministry.  These  numbers  are  taken  from  the  minutes 
of  the  last  conference,  held  at  Sheffield,  July  29,  1811, 
being  the  sixty-eighth  annual  conference. 

The  Methodists  have  also  of  late  years  been  called 
ArminianS)  from  Arminius,  who  separated  from  the  Cal- 
vinists  in  Holland,  because  they  hold  the  doctrine  of 
general  redemption.  This  is  one  of  their  principal  ten- 
ets. They  reject  the  doctrine  of  final  perseverance, 
and  say,  that  a  person,  be  he  ever  so  high  in  the  regen- 
erate life,  may  fall  finally,  and  after  all  be   a  cast-away. 

They  receive  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  as 
defined  in  the  articles  and  homilies  of  the  church  of 
England.  The  nature  of  this  justification  is  also  explain- 
ed by  Mr.  Wesley  in  his  u  Farther  Appeal,"  p.  3.  See 
also  Mr.  Benson's  "Apology,"  p.  217—220.     I  extract 


20B  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  following  passage  :  "  That  works  done  before  justi- 
fication are  not  pleasant  to  God,  forasmuch  as  they 
spring  not  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  consequently  that 
they  partake  of  the  nature  of  sin.  That  good  works 
which  are  the  fruits  of  faith,  and  follow  after  justifica- 
tion, cannot  put  away  our  sins,  yet  are  they  pleasing 
and  acceptable  to  God  in  Christ.  That  man  is  born  in 
sin,  and  is  by  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  so  that  the 
flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to  the  spirit,  and  therefore 
in  every  person  born  into  this  world,  it  deserveth  God's 
wrath  and  damnation.  Repentance  absolutely  must  go 
before  faith  :  fruit  meet  for  it,  if  there  be  opportunity. 
By  repentance,  I  mean  conviction  of  sin,  producing  real 
desires,  and  sincere  resolutions  of  amendment.  By  sal- 
vation, I  mean,  not  barely  deliverance  from  hell,  or  go- 
ing to  heaven,  but  a  present  deliverance  from  sin,  a  res- 
toration of  the  soul  to  its  primitive  health,  its  original 
purity  ;  a  recovery  of  the  divine  nature,  the  renewal  of 
our  souls  in  the  image  of  God,  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness,  in  justice,  mercy  and  truth.  This  implies  all 
heavenly  tempers,  and  by  consequence,  all  holiness  of 
conversation."  p.  214. 

From  which  it  appears,  that  they  do  not  admit  faith 
to  be  genuine,  unless  it  be  accompanied  by  a  life  corres- 
ponding thereto  ;  this  they  prove  from  the  words  of  the 
apostle  James,  "  show  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works, 
and  I  will  show  thee  my  faith  by  my  works." 

Thus  they  agree  with  the  doctrines  of  the  church  of 
England,  and  preach  repentance,  faith  and  holiness  of  life, 
in  conformity  to  those  words  of  the  apostle,  "  repent- 
ance toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  and  with  the  church,  thus,  "  repentance, 
whereby  we  forsake  sin,  and  faith,  whereby  we  stead- 
fastly believe  the  promises  of  God." 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  20<< 

It  must  be  universally  allowed,  that  they  have  been 
peculiarly  useful  in  prevailing  on  a  great  part  of  the 
population  of  these  kingdoms  to  forsake  the  error  of 
their  ways.  They  have  been  the  means  of  making  the 
dissolute,  good  husbands,  good  wives,  affectionate  parents, 
dutiful  children  and  faithful  servants.  They  have  con- 
ducted themselves  in  a  peaceable  manner,  they  are  a 
charitable  and  an  upright  people  ;  and  teach  their  con- 
verts to  "  do  justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with 
their  God." 


ORIGIN    OF    THE    NEW    METHODISTS. 

The  old  Methodists  are  the  genuine  followers  of  the 
Rev.  John  Wesle}r,  who  originally  professed  to  belong 
to  the  church  of  England,  (as  above)  and  regularly  re- 
ceived the  sacrament  in  the  parish  churches,  which  was 
the  practice  of  this  pious  leader  to  the  day  of  his  death  ; 
for  he  did  not  permit  it  to  be  administered  in  the  chap- 
els. But  after  his  demise,  some  of  their  people  remon- 
strated with  the  preachers  concerning  the  hardship  and 
impropriety  of  being  obliged,  though  a  distinct  body 
from  the  established  church,  to  attend  and  receive  it 
from  the  ministers  of  the  establishment  ;  and  finally 
they  petitioned,  at  the  conference,  that  they  might  re- 
ceive it  from  their  own  ministers,  in  their  own  places  of 
worship,  as  was  the  custom  with  other  religious  socie- 
ties. This  was  overruled  by  the  general  body  of  the 
preachers,  which  created  great  opposition  in  various 
parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  prepared  the  way  for  a  sepa- 
ration. 

J  8* 


-210  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Another  cause  of  complaint  was,  that  during  the  life 
of  Mr.  Wesley,  with  the  exception  of  the  travelling 
preachers,  no  one  was  permitted  to  be  present  at  their 
deliberations  in  the  yearly  conference,  when  any  thing 
of  an  important  nature  was  under  consideration.  These 
things  finally  produced  a  separation,  and  now  they  form 
two  bodies,  professing  the  same  doctrines  and  opinions, 
but  differing  only  as  to  the  mode  of  church  government. 
The  first,  or  the  immediate  followers  of  Mr.  Wesley,  arc 
termed  the  Old  Methodists,  who  do  not  admit  any  dele- 
gates from  the  societies,  not  being  travelling  preachers, 
to  assist  in  their  conference,  but  who  themselves  in  con- 
ference, on  account  of  their  local  knowledge,  are  the 
most  competent  judges,  determine  where  chapels  are 
wanted,  and  who  recommend  to  the  societies  the  adop- 
tion of  proper  means  for  defraying  the  expense,  and  for 
carrying  into  effect  the  result  of  their  deliberations. 
The  latter  are  called  the  New  Methodists,  who  approach 
nearer  to  the  church  government  of  the  presbyterians. 

About  the  same  time  that  Mr.  Wesley  began  to 
preach  Methodism,  the  Rev.  George  Whitfield  began 
the  revival  of  Calvinism.  He  was  very  eminent  as  a 
preacher,  was  very  useful  in  reclaiming  the  lower  or- 
ders of  the  people  :  like  the  Methodists,  he  preached  in 
houses,  fields  and  public  places  :  his  followers  were 
railed 


WHITFIELDITES. 


This  famous  reviver  of  the  doctrines  of  Calvin  did 
not  adopt  the  rigid  discipline  of  the  Methodists.  He, 
like  them,  permitted  those  to  preach  who  thought  they 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  21  i 

were  called  to  the  ministry,  and  this  was  one  great  cause 
why  they  became  so  popular.  It  is  singular,  that  two 
men,  in  imitation  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  one  preaching 
the  doctrines  of  the  church  of  England,  and  the  other 
those  of  Calvin,  which  two  professions  embrace  three- 
fourths  of  the  whole  population  of  England,  should  have 
been  able  to  collect  such  multitudes  into  orderly  bodies, 
having  chapels  in  almost  every  large  town  in  the  king- 
dom. 

Some  of  his  followers,  however,  seeing  that  (he  or- 
der established,  which  permitted  those  to  preach,  who 
were  not  altogether  qualified  either  in  language  or  gram- 
mar, did  not  produce  so  good  an  effect  with  the  intelli- 
gent part  of  the  hearers,  separated  themselves  from  the 
communion,  and  resorted  to  the  patronage  of  the  countess 
of  Huntingdon  :  who,  while  she  lived,  was  the  guardian 
of  a  connexion,  which,  until  this  period,  had  never  ob- 
tained such  consequence  and  respectability.  The  cause 
of  this  prosperity  is  obvious.  The  intelligent  among 
them  saw  how  necessary  it  was  for  the  credit  of  religion, 
that  their  preachers  should  receive  instruction,  that  men 
should  not  be  permitted  to  preach,  who,  so  far  from  un- 
derstanding the  original  languages  in  which  the  scrip- 
tures were  written,  did  not  even  understand  their  own 
language,  so  as  to  deliver  their  sentiments  with  that  gram- 
matical accuracy  which  is  absolutely  necessary  for  a 
public  speaker.  This  had  long  been  considered  a  great 
evil  among  them,  as  it  had  a  powerful  tendency  to  injure 
the  cause  of  religion  in  genera!. 

Accordingly,  by  the  exertions  and  generosit}'  of  the 
above-mentioned  lady,  a  seminary  was  established  at 
Che;>hunt,  in  Hertfordshire,  for  the  reception  of  those 
who  were  intended  for  the  ministry,  where  they  go 
through  a  course  of  learning,  which  enables  them  to  do 


212  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

credit  to  their  profession.  They  have  a  superintendent, 
who  is  well  qualified  to  instruct  them  in  the  various 
branches  of  useful  and  necessary  learning. 

When  the  above-mentioned  pious  lady  came  forward 
with  her  property  and  interest  in  support  of  this  laudable 
undertaking,  others  in  affluent  circumstances  followed 
her  example.  A  place  for  public  worship  was  purchased, 
capable  of  holding  a  great  number,  with  a  spacious  house 
adjoining,  where  the  ministers  reside  during  the  time 
they  officiate.  At  this  place  they  transact  business,  rel- 
ative to  their  societies,  in  different  parts  of  England  and 
Wales  :  it  is  considered  as  the  centre  of  their  connexion. 
This  division  of  the  followers  of  Whitfield  has  been  al- 
wa}rs  known  as  Lady  Huntingdon's  connexion.  They 
use  the  liturgy  of  the  church  of  England.  Those  who 
have  completed  their  studies  at  the  academy,  are  sent 
to  preach  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom  for  a  time, 
and  are  replaced  by  others. 

By  this  well  conducted  plan,  they  have  become  a 
useful  and  a  respectable  body.  It  is  said,  that  in  Lady- 
Huntingdon's  connexion,  there  are  upwards  of  100,000, 
who  regularly  attend  divine  service.  It  must  necessarily 
be  allowed,  that  the  Calvinist  and  Arminian  Methodists, 
the  followers  of  those  excellent  men,  Wesley  and  Whit- 
field, have  been  essentially  useful  in  the  hand  of  divine 
Providence,  in  putting  a  stop  to  the  immorality  of  the 
age.  And  though  some  enthusiasts  have  appeared  among 
them  in  their  first  coming  forth,  who  have  not  conducted 
themselves  with  a  zeal  altogether  tempered  with  heaven- 
ly wisdom  ;  yet  as  a  body,  they  are  a  peaceable,  and  an 
upright  people  ;  and  their  conduct  in  life  renders  them 
worthy  of  being  called  the  followers  of  Christ. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  213 


S-WEDENBORGIANS,    OR    TRINI-UNITARIAN  s; 

So  called  from  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  a  Swedish  no- 
bleman, a  learned  man,  and  a  voluminous  writer.  His 
theological  works  were  all  written  in  the  Latin  tongue, 
which,  since  his  demise,  have  been  translated  into  Eng- 
lish, and  other  languages,  by  learned  men  in  different 
nations.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1688,  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four,  and  was  buried  in  the  Swedish  church, 
Prince's  Square,  London. 

He  teaches,  in  his  writings,  that  God  is  one,  in  essence 
and  in  person ;  that  he  exists  in  a  divine  human  form, 
which  was  the  opinion  of  some  professors  in  the  time  of 
the  Emperor  Valentinian,  338  years  after  Christ,  called 
Anthropomorphites  and  Sabellians  :  but  there  is  a  mate- 
rial difference  between  these  early  professors  and  Swe- 
denborgians.  Sabellians  believe  in  the  personification 
of  the  divine  essence,  or  the  Father  ;  whereas  the  Trini- 
unitarians  believe  in  the  triune  God.  The  Swedenbor- 
gians  also  believe,  that  the  unity  is  only  to  be  compre- 
hended in  the  person  of  Christ,  in  whom  is  a  divine  trin- 
ity, consisting  of  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit ;  that  the 
Father  dwells  in  him  as  the  soul  dwells  in  the  body  of 
man,  and  that  the  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  Son, 
is  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  man  is  a  free  agent,  and  an  ac- 
countable creature  ;  that  faith  alone  does  not  justify  the 
sinner ;  that  a  genuine  faith  will  produce  good  works, 
which  are  as  inseparable  from  true  faith,  as  effect  is 
from  its  cause  :  nevertheless,  that  good  works  do  not 
merit  salvation,  but  that  salvation  is  certain  issue,  if  a 
man  loves  what  is  good,  and  what  is  trup,  and  is  at  the 


414  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

same  time  in  the  habitual  practice  of  these  virtues  from 
an  interior  affection  ;  that  true  repentance  must  precede 
a  remission  of  sin,  that  sin  is  not  remitted,  unless  the  sin 
first  ceases  to  be  committed,  and  that  this  is  the  true 
meaning  of  remission  of  sin  ;  that  holiness  of  heart  consi-  ts 
in  loving  that  which  is  good  and  true,  and  in  hating  that 
which  is  evil  and  false  ;  and  also  in  endeavouring  to  man- 
ifest this  principle  in  life  by  all  our  words  and  actions. 
Believing  in  the  triune  God,  they  object  to  the  word 
atonement,  as  they  say  he  could  not  atone  to  himself. 
But  they  believe  that  Christ,  by  his  assumption  of  human 
nature  in  this  world,  by  his  temptation  combats,  the  last 
of  which  was,  that  of  the  cross  ;  has  redeemed  man  :  nev- 
ertheless, that  it  is  incumbent  on  man  to  overcome  also, 
agreeably  to  those  words,  "  he  that  overcometh  shall  sit 
down  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  have  overcome 
and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne  ;"  that 
man  is  to  overcome  sin  as  if  the  power  of  overcoming 
was  from  himself,  but  at  the  same  time  he  must  be  sensi- 
ble, that  the  power  to  overcome  is  from  the  Lord,  who 
overcomes  in  man  ;  that  when  man  dies  as  to  the  mate- 
rial body,  he  rises  again  immediately  in  his  spiritual,  or 
eternal  body,  agreeably  to  the  words  of  the  apostle  ; 
M  there  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body,"' 
in  which  spiritual  body,  man  after  death  exists  in  a  per- 
fect human  form,  that  the  day  of  death  in  this  natural 
world,  is  the  day  of  his  resurrection  in  the  spiritual  or 
eternal  world,  agreeably  to  the  words  of  the  apostle, 
"  absent  from  the  body,  present  with  the  Lord  ;"  that 
the  scriptures  have  a  spiritual,  as  well  as  a  literal  sense  ; 
and  that  in  their  spiritual  sense  consists  their  sanctity ; 
that  the  spiritual  sense  refers  primarily  to  Christ,  as  re- 
deeming man ;  and  secondly,  to  the  regeneration  of  man  ; 
agreeably  to  those  words,  "  and  beginning  at  Moses,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  213 

all  the  prophets,  he  expounded  unto  them,  in  all  the 
scriptures,  the  things  concerning  himself.1' 

When  they  settled  as  a  body  in  public  worship,  the 
dress  of  their  ministers  was  the  same  as  that  which  is 
used  in  the  church  of  England.  But  when  they  began 
to  increase  in  numbers,  a  few  intemperate  individuals 
introduced  peculiar  garments  for  the  priest  to  officiate 
in.  These,  as  they  were  only  calculated  to  create  dis- 
gust among  the  more  rational  part  of  the  community, 
were  soon  laid  aside,  and  they  returned  to  their  original 
dres?,  which  is  the  same  as  is  used  by  the  ministers  of 
the  church  of  England.  They  use  a  liturgy,  which  is 
nearly  the  same  as  that  of  the  established  church,  and 
they  have  adopted  the  episcopal  form  of  ordination, 
which  order,  they  think,  was  established  by  the  apostles, 
agreeably  to  those  words,  Acts  i.  20.  "  and  his  bishoprick 
let  another  take."  Phil.  i.  1.  "with  the  bishops  and 
deacons."     ]  Tim.  iii.  1.  "  desire  the  office  of  bishop." 


DISSENTERS. 

By  these,  in  England,  are  understood,  the  complex 
body  of  Calvinists,  Arians,  Socinians,  Methodists,  and  all, 
(except  the  Roman  Catholics)  who  dissent  from  the  doc- 
trines, service  and  form  of  worship,  of  the  church  of 
England.  They  are  distinguished  by  their  respective 
names,  as  Calvinist,  Arian,  Socinian  and  Baptist  dissent- 
ers. They  dissent  from  each  other  in  principle  and 
profession,  as  much  as  they  all  do  from  the  established 
church. 

But  the  first  dissenters  in  England,  were  those,  who, 
in  the  time  of  queen  Elizabeth,  proposed  a  more  strict 


216  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


kind  of  worship,  and  who  were  on  that   account  called 
Puritans. 

About  100  years  after  this  period,  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  II.  the  act  called  the  Act  of  Uniformity  was  pass- 
ed, which  took  place  on  Bartholomew-day,  and  many 
ministers  refusing  to  conform,  left  the  established  church, 
and  were  called  Non-Conformists. 


SABATARIANS 

Are  those  who  observe  the  seventh  day,  instead  of 
the  first  day  of  the  week.  This  custom  is  not  of  mod- 
ern date,  but  as  early  as  the  time  of  the  apostle  St.  John. 
It  was  observed  by  the  Jewish  converts,  who  found  no 
command  in  scripture  for  the  observance  of  the  first  day 
of  the  week.  They  are  principally  to  be  found  among 
the  Baptists,  who  are  distinguished  by  the  term,  Seventh- 
day  Baptists. 

They  sajr,  that  the  change  from  the  seventh  to  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  took  place  at  the  time  of  Constan- 
tino, when  he  embraced  Christianity.  The  reason  they 
give  for  keeping  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  as  the  sab- 
bath, is,  that  God  hath  commanded  it  to  be  observed  ; 
and  that  there  is  not  any  authority  in  scripture  for  its 
being  changed  from  the  seventh,  to  the  first  day  of  the 
week. 


BAXTERIANS. 

These  professors  are  the  followers  of  Richard  Bax- 
ter, a  noted  writer  and  preacher,  in  the   last  century. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  217 


His  plan  was  to  reconcile  the  Calvinists  and  Arminians. 
by  pointing  out  a  middle  path.  He  taught,  that  a  certain 
number  were  predestinated  to  eternal  life  from  eternity, 
that  the  rest  were  not  reprobated,  but  that  they  have 
common  grace,  which,  if  improved,  will  finally  end  in 
saving  grace.  This  is  to  be  proved  by  a  life  of  faith  and 
obedience,  and  consequently  they  maintain,  that  Christ 
died  for  all  men ;  that  by  his  death  the  sins  of  the  elect 
were  forgiven,  and  that  those  who  were  not  of  the  elect, 
were  through  his  death  placed  in  a  salvable  state,  by  an 
offer  of  that  light  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world. 

In  order  to  show,  that  all  men  are  placed  in  a  salva- 
ble state  by  the  death  of  Christ ;  they  say, 

1st.  It  is  the  nature  of  all  mankind  which  Christ  as- 
sumed at  his  incarnation,  and  the  sins  of  all  mankind 
were  the  occasion  of  his  suffering. 

2dly.  It  was  to  Adam,  as  the  common  father  of  laps- 
ed man,  that  God  made  the  promise,  Gen.  iii.  15.  The 
conditional  grant  is  universal,  "  Whosoever  believeth 
shall  be  saved." 

3dly.  It  is  not  to  the  elect  onty,  but  to  all  mankind, 
that  Christ  has  commanded  his  ministers  to  proclaim 
his  gospel,  and  offer  the  benefits  of  his  procuring. 


XFXESSITARIANS. 

So  called,  because  they  hold  the  doctrine  of  necessi- 
ty, or  fatality;  that  all  the  actions  of  men  are  inevitably 
consequent  on  a  superior  overruling  agency,  which 
cannot  be  counteracted  by  finite  beings.  Necessity  is  but 
another  word  for  predestination ;  for  predestination 
19 


m  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

teaches,  that  moral  agents  act  from  necessity.  They  teach, 
that  the  will  is  in  every  case  necessarily  determined  by 
the  strongest  motives,  and  that  this  moral  necessity  may 
be  as  absolute  as  natural  necessity  ;  or  that  a  moral  effect 
may  be  as  perfectly  connected  with  its  moral  cause,  as  a 
naturally  necessary  effect  is  with  its  natural  cause. 

The  Necessitarian  believes,  that  no  event,  either  res- 
pecting the  body  or  the  soul,  could  possibly  have  been  con- 
trary to  what  it  has  been,  is  and  is  to  be  ;  .and  that  all 
things  must  necessarily  be  what  God  intended  they  should 
be. 

Others  again  hold,  that  God,  by  his  omniscience, 
omnipotence  and  omnipresence,  superintends  the  most 
minute  concerns  of  this  world,  and  that  from  his  fore- 
knowledge, the  doctrine  of  necessity  follows,  as  effect 
follows  its  cause.  But  these  latter  cannot  properly  be 
believers  in  the  doctrine  of  necessity ;  for  if  the  fore- 
knowledge, by  which  God  knows  who  are  the  faithful, 
precedes  the  decree  by  which  man  is  obliged  to  act, 
then  the  doctrine  of  necessity  falls  to  the  ground. 


DESTRUCTIONISTS. 

These  professors  believe,  that  the  wicked  are  not  to 
be  preserved  eternally,  in  the  torments  of  hell,  but  that 
finally,  after  a  period  which  is  to  be  in  proportion  to  the 
magnitude  of  their  crimes,  the  lightning  of  the  divine 
vengeance  is  utterly  to  destroy  them. 

They  say,  that  this  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  scrip- 
tures, and  that  the  word  death  means  that  which  is  ev- 
erlasting, agreeably  to  those  words  Rev.  ii.  11.  "  He 
that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  by  the  second  death. ^ 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS,  219 

They  hold  it  to  be  an  absurdity,  to  suppose,  that  death 
can  be  inflicted  for  a  certain  term ;  and  they  apprehend 
that  punishment  and  death  cannot  be  intended  to  reform 
the  wicked,  since  it  is  not  less  absurd  to  conclude,  that 
man  should  be  punished  with  death,  in  order  to  reform 
his  conduct,  than  it  would  be  to  imagine,  that  by  death  is 
signified  eternal  life,  though  in  a  state  of  torment,  as  it 
would  be  inconsistent  with  the  obvious  meaning  of  the 
words.  They  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  must  mean 
annihilation,  a  total  cessation  of  conscious  existence  ;  a 
complete  destruction  of  being.  The  kingdom  of  Christ 
i*  to  last  forever,  because  it  is  said,  that  "of  his  king- 
dom there  shall  be  no  end,"  and  therefore,  that  the  me- 
diatorial kingdom  is  never  to  be  delivered  up  to  the 
Father. 

These  have  been  the  opinions  of  a  very  few  ;  I  have 
mentioned  them  because  some  have  magnified  them  into 
a  sect,  though  they  have  not  been  sufficiently  numerous 
to  be  ranked  as  such. 


MILLINARIANS 

Believe  that  Christ  will  literally  reign  on  earth  a 
thousand  years,  with  all  those  who  are  said  to  have  their 
part  in  the  first  resurrection.  After  which,  the  second 
resurrection  is  to  take  place,  the  last  judgment,  and  the 
beginning  of  eternal  gloiw.  Soon  after  the  council  of 
Nice,  about  the  year  340,  these  professors  increased  rap- 
idly. The  doctrines  they  promulgated  were  the  same 
as  are  now  received  by  this  sect.  They  believe,  that 
Jerusalem  shall  be  rebuilt  gloriously,  and  that  the  saints, 
or  believers  shall  see  Christ  descend  from  heaven  ;  that 


220  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


the  first  resurrection  spoken  of,  will  take  place  after  the 
coming  of  Antichrist,  when  great  destruction  is  to  hegin 
in  all  nations  :  that  all  who  are  found  alive  on  the  earth 
at  the  time  of  the  first  resurrection  shall,  continue  to  live  ; 
the  good  to  be  associated  with  those  who  are  raised  from 
the  dead,  who  are  to  be  as  princes,  that  the  wicked  are 
to  be  reduced  to  a  state  of  obedience,  and  are  to  be  in 
the  capacity  of  servants.  That  Christ  will,  in  the  new 
Jerusalem,  live  and  reign  a  thousand  }'ears,  with  the  pa- 
triarchs, prophets  and  saints,  who  are  to  enjoy  a  state 
of  perfect  happiness  :  that  at  the  end  of  one  thousand 
years,  the  second  resurrection  is  to  take  place,  when 
those  who  had  their  part  in  the  first,  after  the  last  judg- 
ment, are  to  ascend  with  Christ  to  heaven. 

This  opinion  was  first  introduced  by  Carpocrates  in 
the  reign  of  Domitian,  sixty  years  after  Christ.  It  is 
founded  on  that  passage  in  the  Revelation,  xx.  4 — 6. 
"And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and 
judgment  was  given  unto  them  ;  and  I  saw  the  souls  of 
them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and 
for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the 
beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his  mark 
upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands  ;  and  they  lived 
and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  But  the  rest 
of  the  dead  lived  not  again,  until  the  thousand  years  were 
finished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and 
holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection ;  on 
such,  the  second  death  hath  no  power ;  but  they  shall 
be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with 
him  a  thousand  years  '' 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  221 


HUTCHINSONIANS. 

John  Hutchinson  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  about  the 
beginning  of  the  last  century.  He  was  a  good  Hebraist, 
and  believed  that  the  Hebrew  scripture  contains  a  com- 
plete system  of  all  sciences,  and  of  all  knowledges,  mor- 
al, judicial,  physical  and  theological. 

Hutchinson  was  received  as  an  ingenious  biblical  phi- 
losopher, which  philosoph}r  he  attempted  to  prove  in  a 
work  he  wrote,  entitled  Moses"*  Principia.  He  is  much 
followed  by  Parkhurst,  who  says,  speaking  of  the  word 
heaven,  i;  This  is  a  descriptive  name  of  the  heavens,  or  of 
that  immense  celestial  fluid  subsisting  in  the  three  condi- 
tions of  fire.  light  and  spirit,  which  tills  every  part  of  the 
universe.  He  maintained,  that  this  name,  heaven,  was 
first  given  by  God  to  the  celestial  fluid,  or  air,  when  it 
began  to  act  in  dispersing  and  arranging  the  earth  and 
water  ;  that  it  has  been  the  great  agent  in  disposing  all 
material  things  in  their  places  and  orders,  and  thereby 
producing  all  those  great  and  wonderful  effects,  which 
are  attributed  to  it  in  the  scriptures,  and  which  of  late 
years  hath  been  the  fashion  to  ascribe  to  attraction  and 
gravity."  The  works  of  Hutchinson  have  considerable 
merit,  and  have  a  tendency  to  illustrate  the  scriptures 
by  a  rational  philosophy,  accounting  for  the  wonderful 
effects  of  what  has  hitherto  been  called,  attraction  and 
gravitation.  But  as  his  admirers  never  formed  them- 
selves into  a  body,  and  the  system  being  more  of  a  phi- 
losophical, than  of  a  theological  nature,  they  cannot  be 
ranked  as  a  sect  of  religious  professors. 
19* 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


MATERIALISTS. 

Those  who  profess  to  be  Materialists,  believe  that 
the  soul  of  man  cannot  be  in  a  state  of  conscious  exist- 
ence without  the  material  body.  Therefore,  they  hold, 
that  the  soul  after  its  separation  from  the  body,  is  in  a 
dormant  state  until  the  day  of  resurrection  ;  that  every 
thing-  of  a  spiritual  nature  is  altogether  inconceivable  to 
us  ;  that  we  cannot  have  any  idea  of  existence,  but  of 
that  which  is  material.  Others  again  suppose,  that  what 
we  call  the  soul,  in  which  exists  the  will,  and  the  under- 
standing, is  not  distinct  from  the  body,  but  that  it  is  the 
result  of  that  actuating  power,  which  we  call  animal  life. 

Others  go  farther,  and  hold,  that  not  any  thing  can 
possibly  be,  or  exist,  but  what  is  altogether  material  ; 
that  the  soul  is  material  as  well  as  the  body  :  conse- 
quently that  all  things  in  the  future  state  must  be  mate- 
rial also.  That  the  matter  of  the  world  was  coeval  with 
God,  and  that  it  is  consistent  with  the  pure  and  unmixed 
belief  in  materialism.  That  the  soul  is  material,  or 
composed  of  matter  tangible  ;  for  this  doctrine  teaches, 
that,  u  as  the  body  and  mind  grow  and  decay  together, 
when  the  visible  body  is  dissolved,  it  continues  in  a  state 
of  dissolution,  till  the  Almighty,  who  gave  it  being-,  shall 
please  to  call  it  to  life  again."  They  also  contend,  that 
if  the  soul  were  immaterial  and  immortal,  all  its  faculties 
must  be  so  :  the  contrary  of  which  we  perceive  to  be 
the  case,  as  every  faculty  of  the  mind  is  liable  to  be  im- 
paired, and  all  its  powers  fall  away,  so  as  to  become  ex- 
tinct before  death.  A  sect  of  this  description  appeared 
in  the  Christian  world,  about  the  vear  180,  called  Her- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  223 

mogenians  from  Hermogenes,  an  African,  in  the  reign 
of  the  emperor  Severn?. 


MYSTICS 

Were  originally  so  called,  because  the  opinions  they 
held  were  mysterious  to  the  general  body  of  Christians. 
The  term  Mystic  is  not  applied  to  any  one  particular 
sect  of  christians,  but  to  all  who  believe,  that  the  scrip- 
tures contain  an  internal,  hidden  sense,  distinct  from  the 
external,  or  'visible  literal  sense  ;  and  that  unless  this  in- 
ternal sense  be  attended  to,  we  cannot  have  a  true  un- 
derstanding of  the  scripture,  which,  for  this  reason,  is 
called  the  sacred  scripture  :  that  if  the  scripture  be  thus 
understood,  its  sacredness,  or  holiness  may  be  known,  and 
in  this  alone  consists  its  sanctity.  There  was  a  sect  of 
these  professors  in  the  early  ages  of  the  apostolic  church. 
Dionysius  the  Areopagite,  at  Athens,  was  the  founder  of 
these  opinions.  They  have  increased  in  every  century 
to  the  time  of  Behmen  and  William  Law,  who  was  born 
in  the  year  1687.  They  do  not  receive  the  scriptures 
as  an  historical  account  of  circumstances  and  things  only, 
but  as  fraught  with  a  more  interior  sense,  and  relating 
to  spiritual  states  in  the  regeneration  of  man.  They 
say,  that  we  ought  to  love  God,  not  for  the  hope  of  re- 
ward, the  fear  of  punishment,  or  because  he  has  com- 
manded us  so  to  do,  but  from  a  higher  motive,  viz.  for 
his  perfections  only,  endeavouring  to  attain  to  a  similar, 
but  subordinate  state,  by  the  love  of  those  perfections 
operating  in  a  holy  life. 

With  these  high  considerations  of  disinterested  in- 
ward adoration,  they  approach  the  throne  of  the  Majesty 


:<>4  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


of  heaven,  who,  they  conceive,  dwells  awfully  obscure 
in  his  eternal  solitudes  far  above  all  heavens,  filling  all 
lhi7igs  by  his  influence.  This  state  of  contemplative  si- 
lence, which,  they  say,  is  signified  by  those  words,  "  let 
all  flesh  keep  silence  before  me,"  they  hold  to  be  the 
highest  perfection  in  this  life. 


UNIVERSALISTS 

Believe  that  God,  who  is  a  God  of  love,  has  elected 
all  mankind  to  eternal  salvation  ;  even  devils  are  to  be- 
come prisoners  of  hope,  and  are  to  be  finally  saved,  be- 
cause, they  sa}r,  anger  cannot  dwell  in  God ;  and  that 
his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works  :  that  the  fall 
in  Adam  was  only  of  a.  finite  nature,  but  that  the  restora- 
tion by  Christ  was  infinite  in  its  effects,  and  would,  if  neces- 
sary, extend  its  saving  power  to  millions  of  worlds :  that 
actual  sin,  as  it  is  only  finite,  cannot  require  eternal  pun- 
ishment ;  consequently,  that  the  punishment  of  the  wick- 
ed is  intended  to  bring  them  into  those  states  of  humility 
which  are  to  render  them  fit  for  heaven.  They  believe, 
that  this  plan  of  redemption  is  perfectly  consistent  with 
the  nature  and  perfections  of  the  Divine  Being,  and  that 
it  is  held  forth  in  scripture.  They  believe,  that  as  Christ 
died  for  all  men,  the  just  and  the  unjust,  to  bring  us  to  God, 
so  all  must  necessarily  be  saved,  and  that  then  Christ 
will  deliver  up  the  office  of  mediator  to  the  Father,  and 
that  God  will  be  all  in  all. 

The  difference,  they  say,  between  those  who  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  those  who  do  not,  is  this  : 
the  first  have  their  lot  in  the  first  resurrection,  agreeably 
to  those  words,  u  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not,  until 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  225 

the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the  first  res- 
urrection. Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the 
first  resurrection  ;  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no 
power."  But  the  latter  are  to  be  confined  in  hell  till 
the  last  resurrection,  when  these  as  well  as  the  others, 
and  all  the  infernals,  are  to  enjoy  the  same  blissful 
state. 

These  opinions  were  held  by  some  of  the  fathers  of 
the  Christian  church,  among  whom  was  Origen,  "  who 
would  have  the  wicked  and  devils  to  be  saved." 


SANDEMAKIANS. 

So  called  from  Sandeman,  a  member  of  the  church 
of  Scotland,  who  separated  from  that  church  about  the 
year  1757.  The  first  founder  of  this  sect,  was  John 
Glass,  a  minister  of  the  kirk  of  Scotland :  about  the  year 
1730,  his  followers  were  called  Glassites.  But  when 
.Sandeman,  who  was  an  elder  of  this  sect,  published  his 
letters  against  the  production  of  James  Hervey,  called 
u  Theron  and  Aspasio,"  he  became  the  great  pillar  of 
the  sect,  and  they  called  themselves  after  him,  Sande- 
manians. 

They  hold,  with  the  followers  of  Novatius,  who  lived 
under  the  Emperor  Decius,  at  the  beginning  of  the  third 
century,  that  no  one  is  to  consider  any  thing  he  is  in  pos- 
session of,  as  his  own,  so  as  not  to  be  subject  to  the 
church,  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor :  consequently,  they 
have  all  things  in  common.  They  observe  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  supper  weekly,  at  which  ordinance 
they  expect  all  to  attend,  and  at  which  time  they  make 
a  collection  for  the  poor.     They  dine   together  in  par- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


ties  at  each  other's  houses  on  the  sabbath  day.  Like 
the  followers  of  Novatius,  they  disapprove  of  a  second 
marriage,  which  renders  them  ineligible  to  fill  the  offices 
in  the  church. 

They  adhere  to  the  letter  of  scripture,  abstaining 
from  all  things  strangled,  in  which  is  the  blood,  and,  in 
token  of  humility,  they  wash  each  other's  feet.  They 
define  faith  to  be,  an  acknowledgment  of  the  truths  de- 
livered by  Christ,  such  as,  that  he  came  to  redeem  man, 
and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification.  "  That  this 
kind  of  faith  carries  in  itself  sufficient  ground  of  hope  to 
every  one  who  believes  it,  without  any  thing  wrought 
in  us,  or  done  by  us,  to  give  it  a  particular  direction  to 
ourselves,"  by  way  of  merit :  and  that  this  belief,  if  gen- 
uine, will  be  manifested  in  a  life  of  obedience  to  the 
commands  of  God.  They  also  teach,  "  that  there  is  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  through  Christ,  for  sinners,  while 
they  are  acting  in  opposition  to  the  divine  command,  or 
before  any  act,  or  desire,  manifests  a  determination  to 
forsake  the  error  of  their  ways."  Sandeman  says,  "  that 
it  is  by  this  passive  belief  of  the  truth,  that  man  is  justi- 
fied, and  that  boasting  is  excluded." 


DUNKERS. 

The  Dunkers  appeared  in  North  America,  about 
the  year  1724.  They  assembled  in  a  town,  in  or  near 
Penns}'lvania,  called  Ephrata,  and  formed  themselves  in- 
to a  society.  They  appear  to  have  adopted  some  of  the 
customs  of  the  Baptists  and  the  Quakers,  for  like  the 
first  they  baptise  by  immersion,  and  like  the  second, 
they  do  not  go  to  law  for  the  recovery  of  debts.     They. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  227 


like  some  of  the  ancient  Christians,  have  love-feasts,  at 
which  they  eat  meat,  but  at  other  times  they  live  mostly 
on  vegetables.  They  observe  some  of  the  customs 
which  are  mentioned  as  having  been  observed  by  the 
apostles,  and  before  they  receive   the  sacrament,  they 


wash  each  other's  feet 


THE    KIRK    OF    SCOTLAND. 

The  established  form  of  church  government  in  Scot- 
land is  the  Presbyterian.  When  Calvin  separated  from 
the  church  of  Rome,  and  a  great  part  of  Germany  receiv- 
ed his  doctrines,  John  Knox,  a  disciple  of  that  celebrat- 
ed reformer,  began  to  preach  in  Scotland,  in  the  year 
1561.  Calvin  having  rejected  the  Episcopal  form  of 
government,  for  that  of  the  Presbyterian  in  Germany, 
the  reformers  in  Scotland  followed  their  example,  both 
as  to  doctrine  and  church  government.  The  character 
given  of  Knox,  is,  "  that  he  possessed  ardent  piety,  inde- 
fatigable activit}',  an  integrity  which  was  superior  to 
corruption,  and  a  courage  which  could  not  be  shaken 
by  dangers  or  death."  Predestination,  or  Calvinism,  is 
the  prevailing  doctrine  of  the  kirk  of  Scotland. 

The  kirk  of  Scotland  is  governed  by  the  general  as- 
sembly, which  consists  of  a  number  of  delegates  sent 
from  the  different  presbyteries,  royal  burghs,  and  univer- 
sities, many  of  whom  are  laymen  called  ruling  elders, 
This  is  the  supreme  ecclesiastical  authority. 

The  next  in  authority  are  the  provincial  synods ; 
these  are  composed  of  a  number  of  presbyteries,  in  the 
same  province  or  county. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Next  to  the  synods,  are  presbyteries  :  each  presby- 
tery consists  of  a  number  of  parishes,  which  are  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  each  other.  These  are  more  or  less 
numerous  in  their  assembly,  according  as  the  parishes 
are  more  or  less  populous. 

A  kirk  session  has  no  authority  beyond  its  own  par- 
ish ;  it  is  therefore,  the  lowest  ecclesiastical  judicatory 
in  Scotland.  It  is  composed  of  the  ministers,  elders  and 
deacons  of  the  whole  parish,  sent  from  each  respective 
congregation. 

From  these  lower  courts,  all  appeals  are  made  to  the 
general  assembly  ;  and  from  its  decision  in  religious  con- 
cerns, no  appeal  can  be  made. 


DISSENTERS  FROM  THE  KIRK  OF  SCOTLAND. 


There  are  seven  sorts  of  dissenters  from  the  kirk  of 
Scotland.  First,  the  old  dissenters  are  those  who  were 
the  most  active  at  the  revolution,  in  1G88,  in  opposing 
the  acts  of  the  representatives  in  church  and  state. 
These,  as  a  distinct  body,  are  the  old  Presbyterians,  who 
first  separated  from  the  established  church. 

Second,  the  Glassites,  who  afterwards  took  the  name 
of  Sandemanians,  from  Sandeman,  a  very  popular  man 
among  them. 

Third,  Seccders,  who  separated  from  the  established 
kirk  in  1733. 

Fourth,  The  Relief  Kirk.  They  separated  from  the 
established  kirk,  and  maintain,  that  they  have  a  right  to 
rhoose  their  own  ministers. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  229 


Fifth,  Scottish  Baptists.  They  are  much  the  same  as 
Baptists  in  general. 

Sixth,  The  Bereans,  who  have  taken  that  name  from 
the  ancient  Bereans,  as,  like  them,  they  say  they  search 
the  scriptures  for  themselves. 

Seventh,  New  Independents. 

The  leading  doctrine  of  all  these  sects  is  Calvinism, 
in  which  they  agree  with  the  established  kirk. 


SHAKERS. 

These  enthusiasts  of  the  day,  called  Shakers,  are  to 
be  found  in  America ;  they  resemble  in  some  manner 
the  Jumpers  in  Wales.  I  have  been  informed  by  Dr. 
Samuel  Peters,  a  gentleman  of  respectability  in  the 
church  of  England,  and  the  elect  bishop  of  Canada,  who, 
in  his  travels  through  America,  has  visited  them,  that  in 
their  worship  they  will  frequently  rise,  dance,  jump 
about,  and  turn  with  incredible  swiftness  on  the  tip-toe 
of  one  foot,  for  the  space  of  fifteen  minutes,  when  being 
exhausted,  they  fall  down,  and  pretejid  to  see  visions. 

They  believe,  that  the  first  resurrection  has  taken 
place,  and  that  now  it  is  the  time  when  they  are  to  judge 
themselves :  that  this  is  a  new  dispensation,  in  which 
they  reject  all  the  advice  given  in  the  written  word. 
They  believe,  that  they  have  power  to  work  miracles, 
to  heal  the  sick,  to  raise  the  dead,  and  to  cast  out  devils, 
and  that  this  is  done  by  the  preaching  of  the  word  when 
it  is  attended  with  power,  that  is,  by  the  operation  of 
the  Spirit,  which  enlightens  the  mind,  convinces  of  sin, 
and  inspires  the  soul  with  holiness  of  life. 
20 


230  ALL   IlllLlGIONS. 


Thai  they  have  intercourse  with  angels  and  departed 
spirit  -  ibly  to  what  is  said,  1  Cor.  xii.  '  There  are 

diversities  of  gifts,  hut  the  same  Spirit;  to  some  is  given 
the  word  of  wisdom,  to  some  the  discerning-  of  spirits  ;' 
that  they  may  arrive  to  such  perfection  in  the  divine  life 
as  to  speak  with  divers  tongues  :  that  it  is  lawful  to  prac- 
tice vocal  music,  dancing,  and  other  manifestations  of 
great  joy,  if  it  be  done  with  a  single  eye  to  the  glory  of 
God.  In  one  part  of  their  worship,  they  have  "  an  uni- 
form dance,  while  the  elders  sing  a  solemn  hymn,  to 
which  they  move  in-a  regular  figure.*'  See  New-York 
Theol.  Mag.  for  November  and  December,  1795.  That 
the  highest  perfection  of  the  Christian  life  is  neither  to 
marry,  nor  to  give  others  in  marriage  :  because  by  this, 
they  get  rid  of  their  sensual  relation  to  Adam,  and  thus 
are  fit  subjects  to  receive  heavenly  visions  :  that  those 
who  attain  to  this  state  are  of  the  number  of  the  hundred 
and  forty-four  thousand,  that  -were  not  defiled  -with  women  : 
that  eternal  punishment  does  not  apply  to  any  others  but 
those,  who  fall  away  from  their  persuasion. 


JUMPERS. 

The  J  umpers,  in  Wales,  are  of  a  similar  description 
to  the  Shakers  of  America,  in  their  forms,  when  attend- 
ing what  they  call  divine  worship  ;  at  a  certain  period, 
they  begin  to  move  their  bodies,  and  increase  this  mo- 
tion by  rising  and  jumping  about,  until  they  are  exhaust- 
ed, and  frequently  fall  down. 

The  only  discipline  wherein  they  differ  from  the 
Shakers,  is,  that  they  do  not  twirl  upon  the  tip-toe. 
Tlie-e  are  the  renewals  of  an  ancient  heresy  in  the  third 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  Jjj 


century,  called  Hierarchies,  from  Hierarcha,  who  lived 
a  short  time  after  Origen.  They  pretend  to  justify  this 
kind  of  enthusiastic  whimsey,  by  saying-,  that  David  danc- 
ed before  the  ark — the  lame  man  leaped  for  joy,  that 
he  was  cured — and  in  the  prophet,  "  then  shall  the  lame 
man  leap  as  a  hart." 

I  have  mentioned  these  professors,  for  no  other  reason 
than  to  show,  how  human  nature  ma}'  be  imposed  on ; 
for  though  they  have  been  ranked  as  a  sect  by  some 
writers,  they  are  too  contemptible  for  such  notice.  En- 
thusiasts are  found  in  all  ages,  and  if  I  were  to  attend  to 
all  the  whims  and  fancies  which  have  entered  the  heads 
of  a  few  unsettled,  ignorant  and  intempered  individuals, 
I  should  not  be  giving  an  account  of  the  different  sects 
of  the  Christian  religion,  but  of  the  folly,  pride  and  de- 
pravity of  those,  who  have  promulgated  erroneous  opin- 
ions, and  followed  lying  vanities. 


NEW  SECT  IX  AiMERICA. 

These  may  be  called  a  new  sect,  because  they  take 
the  New  Testament  only  for  their  rule.  They  meet 
after  the  manner  of  the  Methodists,  by  delegates,  and  at 
their  meetings,  make  collections  for  the  poor.  They 
call  their  assemblies,  the  Christian  church.  Every  mem- 
ber enjoins  his  own  opinions  without  the  least  restraint, 
provided  that  he  conduct  himself  agreeably  to  the  pre- 
cepts of  the  Christian  dispensation. 


232  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


HUGONOTS. 

These  professors  are  French  Protestants,  who  are 
so  called  from  their  formulae  of  faith,  hue  nos  venimus. 
They  arose  in  the  year  1560,  and  greatly  increased  to 
the  year  1572,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  IX.  when,  at  the 
feast  of  Bartholomew,  on  the  24th  of  August,  near 
30,000  Protestants  were  massacred  in  France,  by  the  de- 
cree of  this  king.  Twenty-six  years  afterwards,  Henry 
IV.  caused  the  Edict  of  Nantz  to  be  passed,  which  ena- 
bled the  Protestants  to  worship  God  agreeably  to  the 
dictates  of  their  consciences.  Their  privileges  were 
thus  enjoined  by  them  to  the  time  of  the  voluptuous,  and 
sensual  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  when  they  were  again  per- 
secuted, their  churches  destroyed,  thousands  were  put 
inhumanly  to  death  :  and  from  the  best  authorities  it  is 
said,  that  near  100,000  were  driven  out  of  their  own 
country.  Vast  numbers  found  an  asylum  in  England, 
who  brought  with  them  the  manufacture  of  silks,  which 
has  been  a  great  source  of  wealth  to  the  government  of 
England, 


THE    PROTESTANT    CHURCH 

Is  properly  the  church  of  England,  which  obtained 
that  name  when  the  people  protested  against  the  doctrines, 
sacraments,  and  worship  of  the  church  of  Rome,  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII.  to  which  period  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic religion,  had  been  the  established  religion  of  the 
English  nation.     But  the  first  blow   which  was  given  to 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


popery  in  England,  was  about  200  years  before  Henry 
VIII.  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  when  the  noted  Wick- 
liffe  opposed  the  doctrines  and  worship  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  The  term  Protestant  is  also  given  to  all  ranks 
of  professing  christians,  who,  like  the  church  of  England, 
di-.i]>prove  of  the  doctrines  of  the  church  of  Rome  ; 
though  they  have  separated  from  the  church  of  England. 
Such  are  called  Protestant  dis$e?iters. 

This  church  admits  but  of  two  sacraments,  viz.  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  supper,  agreeably  to  the  command 
of  Christ,  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  "Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach 
all  nations,  baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.""  Acts  viii.  36. 
"  And  as  they  went  on  their  way,  they  came  unto  a  cer- 
tain water;  and  the  eunuch  said,  see,  here  is  water; 
what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptised?  Luke  xxii.  19. 
u  And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it,  and 
gave  unto  them,  saying,  this  is  my  body,  which  is  given 
for  you  :  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me." 

This  church  holds  with  infant  baptism,  which  appears 
to  be  a  very  ancient  custom.  Pelagius,  whose  followers 
were  called  Pelagians,  who  was  one  of  the  orthodox  di- 
vines, and  lived  180  years  after  Christ,  taught,  that  -;  in- 
fants might  be  saved  without  baptism.1" 

The  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  church  of  England 
are,  repentance,  faith  and  holiness  of  life  :  these  are  held 
forth  in  her  catechism,  homilies  and  liturgy.  '  Repent- 
ance whereby  we  forsake  sin,  and  faith,  whereby  zee  stead- 
leve  in  the  promises  of  God.1  And  again,  '  jMij 
duty  towards  God  is,  to  believe  in  him,  to  fear  him,  and  to 
love  him  with  all  my  heart,  with  all  my  soul,  with  all  my 
1  with  all  my  strength  ;  to  worship  him,  to  give 
him  thanks,  to  put  my  whole  trust  in  him,  to  call  upon  him,  to 
honour  his  ho!i/  name,  and  his  word,  and  to  serve  him  truly 
20* 


234  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

all  the  days  of  my  life.  My  duty  towards  my  neighbour  is, 
to  love  him  as  myself  and  to  do  unto  all  men  as  1  would 
they  should  do  unto  me.'  Thus  does  the  church  of  Eng- 
land, in  her  purity,  comprehend  the  sum  and  substance 
of  the  religion  of  the  scriptures,  which  is,  love  to  God. 

AND  CHARITY  TO  MAN. 

In  this  place,  I  wish  to  recommend  An  Address,*  pub- 
lished by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Valpy,  to  his  parishioners,  where 
under  the  head  of  Works  without  Faith,  he  says,  "  The 
morality  of  Jesus  Christ  enjoins  us  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  he  has  commanded  us  ;  to  visit  the  father- 
less and  widows  in  their  affliction  ;  and  to  keep  ourselves 
unspotted  from  the  world.  But  the  morality  which  is 
usually  meant,  is  the  morality  of  the  world,  and  not  of 
Christ.  The  morality  of  the  world  only  plays  about  the 
head,  the  morality  of  Christ  is  deeply  rooted  in  the 
heart."  And  again,  under  the  head,  Faith  without  Works, 
•;  Hence  it  appears,  that  justification  cannot  exist  without 
sanctification.  Hence,  although  you  cannot  be  saved 
by  works,  it  is  clear  that  you  cannot  be  saved  without 
works." 

On  the  whole,  it  is  wonderful,  that  among  every 
tribe  and  tongue,  from  pole  to  pole,  the  savage  hordes 
of  Africa,  the  untaught  Indians,  as  well  as  the  learned 
and  civilized  nations,  worship  a  Divine  Being,  or  First 
Cause,  under  some  form.  It  is  inherent  in  our  nature,  it 
is  the  language  of  gratitude  for  our  being  : 


For  God  has  stampt  it  on  the  heart  of  man  ; 

It  is  a  part  of  his  eternal  plan. 

Come  then,  religion,  lead  me  to  that  shrine, 

*  This  Address  has  already  gone  through  three  editions,  and 
is  well  calculated  for  distribution  among  our  poorer  neighbours. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  23, 


Where  dwells  the  awful  Majesty  divine  : 

O  teach  me,  thou,  who  art  the  secret  spring 

Of  inward  adoration,  how  to  bring 

An  hallowed  sacrifice — thy  grace  impart, 

To  sanctify  the  off'ring  of  the  heart 

In  life,  and  death.     And  when  the  golden  bowl* 

That  holds  the  brain  is  broken,  may  the  soul 

To  its  great  Father  lift  the  humble  eye, 

And  soar  to  brighter  worlds  beyond  the  sky  ; 

Up  to  the  mansions  where  the  angels  dwell — 

Where  the  fair  humble  seraphs  ceaseless  tell, 

How  mortals,  led  by  God's  paternal  hand, 

Forever  rest  in  Eden's  happy  land  ; 

That  hand,  which  ever  condescends  to  give  ; 

For  those  who  live  to  die — will  die  to  live. 


From  what  has  been  advanced,  it  must  be  evident  to 
the  intelligent  reader,  that  there  can  be  no  more  than 
two  religions,  viz.  the  religion  which  under  some  form 
embraces  the  worship  of  the  true  God  ;  and  idolatry, 
which  comprehends  the  worship  of  Idols. 

It  must  also  appear,  that  there  have  been  only  four 
true  churches  of  God,  exclusively  of  the  state  in  which 
the  first  people  were  placed.  For  a  new  church  must 
of  necessity  include  a  new  dispensation,  which,  we  find 
from  scripture,  has  taken  place  four  times  since  the  cre- 
ation of  man,  viz.  the  first  church,  or  the  first  dispen- 
sation given  to  Adam  after  the  fall,  and  which  may  be 
properly  called  the  Adamic  dispensation,  or  the  Adamic 
churgh.  which  ended  at  the  time  of  the  flood. 

The  second  church,  or  the  dispensation  given  to 
Noah,  which  is  properly  called,  the  Noahotic  dispensa- 
tion, which  ended  at  the  time  of  Moses. 

*  Eccles.  xii.  6. 


236  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


The  third  church,  or  the  dispensation  given  to  Mo- 
ses, called,  the  .Mosaic  dispensation,  which  ended  at  the 
coming  of  Christ. 

And  lastly,  the  Christian  church,  or  the  dispensation 
given  by  Christ  himself,  which  will  endure  forever. 

Hence,  we  may  charitably  conclude,  that  though 
there  may  exist  a  difference  of  opinion,  which  has  in  all 
ages  laid  the  foundation  for  different  sects,  jet  under 
what  form  soever  the  true  God  is  worshipped  in  sincer- 
ity, such  worshippers  constitute  the  true  church  of  God  ; 
agreeably  to  those  words  of  the  apostle  :  "  Of  a  truth  1 
perceive,  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every 
nation,  he  that  fcareth  him,  and  xxorketh  righteousness,  is 
accepted  with  him."* 


ENTHUSIASTS. 

It  was  not  my  intention  to  say  any  thing  concerning 
the  religious  enthusiasts  of  the  day,  because  such  cannot 
be  acknowledged  as  belonging  to  any  sect  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  who  assert  things  inconsistent  with  those 
plain  truths  held  forth  in  the  gospel ;  had  not  a  modern 
writer  introduced  the  misguided  followers  of  an  ignorant, 
presumptuous  woman,  to  the  notice  of  the  public.  It 
may,  however,  serve  to  caution  the  well  meaning  Chris- 
tian to  avoid  the  senseless  clamor  of  fanatics  :  and  this  is 
the  only  apology  I  can  offer  to  the  intelligent  reader  for 
intruding  on  his  time  and  patience. 

In  all  ages,  from  the  time  of  the  prophets  to  the  pres- 
ent day,  in  all  ancient  nations,  and  among  the  moderns, 
from  Joan  of  Arc,  to  Joanna  Southcott,  some  infatuated 
men  and  women,  preferring  their  own  silly  dogmas  to 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  237 

the  plain  scriptures,  have  pretended  to  receive  divine 
communication.  Not  in  the  way  which  God  appointed 
under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  nor  by  living  faith,  as  un- 
der the  gospel ;  but  they  have  impiously  asserted,  that 
it  is  by  a  vocal  and  externally  audible  conversation  with 
the  azvful  Majesty  of  heaven.  And  although  this  is  suffi- 
cient of  itself  to  procure  them  a  residence  in  bedlam, 
yet  numbers  of  individuals  have  fallen,  as  it  were,  a  sac- 
rifice to  the  pride  and  vanity  of  these  impostors. 

If  the  intelligent  reader  will  turn  over  the  pages  of 
ancient  and  modern  history,  he  will  find,  that  when  na- 
tions were  involved  in  war,  witch-ridden  enthusiasm, 
treading  on  reason  and  scripture,  has  always  found  ad- 
vocates among  the  hordes  of  inferior  society.  These 
tinder  brained  mortals,  fired  with  the  expectation  of  an 
easy  life,  high  posts,  and  golden  plunder,  have  hurled 
their  anathemas  at  churches  and  states,  at  all  sects  and 
parties  who  have  opposed  them  ;  and  have  consigned 
them  to  destruction  with  the  impious  blasphemy  of,  thus 
saith  the  Lord.  In  the  times  of  the  prophets,  when  peo- 
ple of  this  description  made  their  appearance,  so  deep- 
ly was  human  nature  sunk  in  the  sink  of  its  own  vanity, 
that  the  prophet  was  commanded  to  say,  '  Prophesy 
against  the  prophets  of  Israel,  that  prophesy,  and  say 
unto  them  that  prophesy  out  of  their  own  spirit,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  wo  unto  the  foolish  prophets  that 
follow  their  own  spirits,  and  have  seen  nothing.  They 
have  seen  lying  divination,  saying  the  Lord  saith,  and 
the  Lord  hath  not  sent  them.' 

In  the  time  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans,  dur- 
ing the  abomination  of  the  Delphian  and  Sybillian  ora- 
cles ;  and  among  the  Mahometans,  numbers  have  pre- 
tended to  be  inspired  by  the  oracular  gods,  and  by  the 
spirit  of  Mahomet,     JEven  in  the  Pagan  nations,  there 


238  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION*. 

are  those  famous  above  others,  for  their  intimate  ac- 
quaintance with  the  spirit  of  the  wooden  god  they  wor- 
ship. More  modern  times  have  also  furnished  us  with 
serious  proofs  of  the  weakness,  folly  and  blasphemy  oi 
this  description  of  men  among-  the  Christian  nations  :  ;» 
chort  account  of  them  may  not  be  unsatisfactory  to  the 
reader. 


THOMAS    OF    MUNSTER, 

Iii  1522,  boasted  that  he  had  immediate  communica- 
tion with  God,  that  by  his  means  the  empires  and  prin- 
cipalities of  this  world  were  to  be  destroyed  ;  that  the 
sword  of  Gideon  was  put  into  his  hands,  to  be  employed 
against  all  tyrants,  and  for  the  restoration  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ !  he  excited  the  people  to  rebellion,  and 
fought  the  landgrave  ;  five  thousand  were  slain.  The 
hypocrite  was  taken  and  put  to  death. 


JOHN    MATTHIAS, 

In  the  year  1532,  a  baker  at  Harlem,  professed  him- 
self to  be,  "  Enoch,  the  second  high  priest  of  God."  He 
raised  a  rebellion,  published  edicts,  and  commanded  ev- 
ery man  to  bring  his  gold  and  silver  into  the  common 
stock.     He  was  put  to  death  by  the  besieging  army. 


JOHN    OF    LEYDEN, 

In  the  year  1534,  by  these  pretensions,  raised  a  con- 
siderable army,  and,  being  besieged  in  the  city  of  3Iun- 
*ter,  caused  himself  to  be  made  king;  some  thousands 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  >3U 

were  killed.     He  was  taken,  and  suffered  a  painful  death. 
To  these  succeeded 


HERMAN    THE    COBLER, 

Who  declared  himself  to  be  a  true  prophet;  and  at 

last,  the  Son  of  God. 


THEODORE, 

Of  Amsterdam,  preached  the  doctrine  of  the  Pre-Ad- 
amites,  and  ran  naked  with  his  followers  through  the 
<-itv. 


DAVID    GEORGE, 

lii  the  year  1556,  asserted,  that  he  was  the  true  Mes- 
siah, sent  down  from  heaven,  to  be  the  horn,  redeemer 
and  builder  of  the  tabernacle  of  Israel.  The  following- 
particulars  are  taken  from  his  writings  :  that  the  doc- 
trines of  Moses,  the  prophets  and  Christ,  were  not  suffi- 
cient for  salvation,  but  his  doctrines  only  :  that  he  was 
invested  with  authority  to  bind  and  loose,  and  thai  at  the 
la*t  day  he  should  judge  the  tribes  of  Israel :  that  the 
scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament,  that  Christ  and  the 
apostles,  referred  to  the  coming  of  David  George.  I 
might  introduce  many  more  of  these  fanatics,  who  made 
their  appearance  in  Germany,  France,  Holland,  and  dif- 
ferent nations,  but  the  blasphemies  of  David  George, 
seem  to  have  outdone  every  other  continental  pretender 
to  divine  communication.  We  have,  however,  an  op- 
portunity of  producing  one  at  this  day,  pretending  to 


240  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


divine  revelation,  in  England,  whose  assertions  as  to 
these  things  are  equally  blasphemous.  They  are  to  be 
found  in  certain  pamphlets  bearing  the  signature  of 


JOANNA    SOUTHCOTT. 


This  woman,  from  a  very  obscure  and  menial  situa- 
tion in  Exeter,  has,  by  pretending  to  divine  communica- 
tion, and  an  external  conversation  with  God,  risen  into 
ease  and  plenty,  by  means  of  a  few  deluded  persons  in 
London.     These  pamphlets,  written  by  herself,  contain 
a  summary  of  the  most  consummate  ignorance,  ribaldry, 
spiritual  pride  and  blasphemy,  nowise  inferior  to  what  is 
contained   in  the   impious    writings   of  David   George. 
They  declare,  that  this  vain  woman  is  sent  from  heaven 
to  denounce  destruction  to  all  persons,   and  all  govern- 
ments, who  do  not  obey  the  divine  command,  wThich,  she 
says,  is  thus  delivered  by  her:  her  disciples  are  to  re- 
ceive a  seal,  folded  in  a  letter,  which  is  not  to  be  opened 
by  them  ;   but,  when  the  destruction  takes  place,  (which 
she  has  been  for  near  twenty  years  past  fixing  in  every 
succeeding  year)  it  will  preserve  them  from  harm  :  she 
asserts,  that  she  is  to  have  144,000  of  these  sealed  ones, 
which,  she  pretends,  is  the  144,000  spoken  of  in  the  Rev- 
elation ;   she  being  the  woman  there  mentioned,  clothed 
with  the  sun  :  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  commanded  her 
to  choose  seven  men,  who  are  her  seven  saints,  and  that 
these  seven  men  are  to  judge  the  earth,  answering  to 
the  seven  spirits  before  the  throne  of  God  :  that  she  was 
also  commanded  to  select  twenty-four  men  from  her  in- 
fatuated followers,   who  are  her  twenty-four  elders,  an- 
swering to  the  twenty-four  elders  before  the  throne. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  241 


Her  books  are  written  principally  in  a  sort  of  low 
rhyme  in  the  common  ballad  style,  which  are  altogether 
ungrammatical,  but  which  she  maintains  to  be  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Spirit  of  God.  So  infatuated  are  her  advo- 
cates, that  some  of  them  who  have  had  a  collegiate  edu- 
cation, and  who  are  devoted  in  life  to  officiate  in  sacred 
things,  have  the  weakness  to  declare,  that  this  scribbling 
is  finer  than  the  poetry  of  Homer.  That  the  reader 
may  judge  whether  the  reverend  gentlemen  are  justified 
in  giving  her  rhyme  so  high  a  character,  I  have  selected 
the  following  lines : 


Spirit. 

"  Simple  among  the  sons  of  men 
I  always  did  appear ; 
And  simple  in  the  woman's  form 
I've  surely  acted  here." 


Again, 


Spirit. 


*'  If  you  can  judge  the  heav'nly  sound, 

Such  woman  ne'er  on  earth  was  found, 

To  give  such  challenge  unto  man 

And  say  that  I  am  in  her  form. 

Look,  here's  a  woman,  now  believe  it  true, 

That  here's  a  woman  taken  from  my  side, 

That  I've  declared  to  man  to  be  my  bride. 

I  have  changed  the  manhood  and  the  Godhead's  here. 


Spirit. 

Joanna,  Joanna,  I'll  answer  again, 
Thy  words  and  thy  wisdom  will  ever  remain 
Enrolled  in  heav'n  and  publish'd  on  earth. 
21 


£42  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


Ye  men  of  learning,  mark  well  what  she  saith. 
In  -imple  weakness  all  this  was  done  at  first, 
But  now  in  power  and  wisdom  all  must  burst.1' 


Thus  she  also  pretends  to  prophesy  from  the  audible 
voice  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  answer  to  the  dreams,  fol- 
lies and  whims,  of  those  who  countenance  these  tales. 
With  all  this  train  of  blasphemies,  it  is  scarcely  possible 
to  suppose,  that  men  could  have  been  found  weak  and 
vain  enough  to  believe  the  impious  declarations,  contain- 
ed in  this  woman's  pamphlets.  But  the  blindness  of  mil- 
en  human  nature,  when  led  by  its  own  spirit,  is  such, 
that  scripture  and  reason  are  rejected,  and  that  most 
abominable  of  all  pride,  viz.  that  of  pretending  to  an  im- 
mediate conversation  with  the  awful  Majesty  of  heaven, 
is  set  up  in  their  stead. 


WILHELMINA  OF  BOHEMIA. 


This  Bohemian  lady  presumed  to  have  an  immediate 
intercourse  with  Heaven,  got  together  a  considerable 
number  of  followers,  and  though  it  is  said,  "  other  foun- 
dation can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ ;"  yet  she  persuaded  many,  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
had  become  incarnate  in  her,  to  save  a  great  part  of 
mankind. 

She  evaded  the  force  of  the  arguments  of  her  oppo- 
nents, respecting  the  application  of  the  redemption  by 
Christ,  to  all  descriptions  of  people,  by  saying,  that  he 
rame  only  to  save  believing  Christians  ;  but  that  through 
the  Holy  Spirit  which  dwelt  in  her,  Jews,  unbelieving 
Christians  and  Pagans,  were  to  obtain  salvation  :  that  as 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  243 

Christ  was  made  manifest  in  her,  all  the  particulars  which 
are  recorded  to  have  been  done  by  him,  were  to  be  again 
done  by  her,  as  proof  of  the  truth  of  her  mission, 


MUGGLETONIANS. 


Lodowick  Muggleton,  an  Englishman,  by  trade  a  tai- 
lor, in  the  year  1657,  began  to  hold  forth  strange  opin- 
ions, and  for  a  time  was  followed  by  a  few  ignorant  per- 
sons, and  they  were  called  after  him  Muggletonians. 
With  him  was  associated  a  person  of  the  name  of  Reeves, 
who  declared,  that  Christ  had  spoken  to  him  from  the 
throne  of  his  glory,  saying,  "  I  have  given  thee  under- 
standing of  my  mind,  in  the  scriptures,  above  all  the  men 
in  the  world  ;  I  have  chosen  thee  my  last  messenger,  for 
a  great  work  unto  this  bloody,  unbelieving  world,  and  I 
have  given  ihee  Lodowick  Muggleton  to  be  thy  mouth/'' 

Thus  they  declared  themselves  to  be  great  prophets, 
and  that  their  mission  was  altogether  spiritual.  They 
publicly  preached  themselves  to  be  the  Lord's  two  last 
witnesses,  mentioned  in  the  Revelation,  who  were  to 
make  their  appearance  some  short  time  before  the  per- 
sonal coming  of  Christ,  and  the  end  of  the  world.  They 
denied  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  and  affirmed  that  God 
the  Father,  who  was  in  the  form  of  a  man,  came  down 
from  heaven  and  suffered  in  a  human  bodv. 


244  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


ATHEISTS.^ 

Though  the  Atheist  cannot  be  classed  with  any  sect 
of  religious  professors,  he  being 

"  Farther  remov'd  from  God  and  light  of  heav'n," 

than  the  most  abandoned  libertine ;  yet  it  seems  proper, 
in  a  work  of  this  nature,  to  say  something  concerning 
this  description  of  men,  if  there  be  any  such  in  reality. 
For  I  have  no  doubt,  however  the  professing  Atheist 
may  deny  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  that  in  his 
moments  of  serious  contemplation,  he  is  frequently  troub- 
led on  account  of  his  impious  profession  ;  and  being  alto- 
gether in  a  state  of  uncertainty  as  to  the  truth  of  his 
declarations,  he  often  trembles  at  the  awful  consequen- 
ces, lest  he  should  be  one  of  that  number  mentioned  in 
sacred  writ,  viz.  "  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell, 
with  all  the  nations  that  forget  God." 

In  all  ages,  there  have  been  those,  who  have  profess- 
ed to  believe,  that  all  things  were  produced  without  the 
creative  influence  of  the  Creator,  that  creation  in  all  its 
beauteous  and  harmonious  order,  rose  from  chaotic  con- 
fusion, the  offspring  of  chance  !  thus  we  find  it  on  rec- 
ord in  the  sacred  scripture,  "  the  fool  hath  said  in  his 
heart,  there  is  no  God.1'  Also  among  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  this  opinion  has  been  professed  by  some,  and  in 
the  different  nations  of  Europe  at  the  present  day,  there 
are  men  who  profess  to  believe,  that  there  is  no  God : 

*  See  Dr.  Valpy's  jiddress  to  his  Parishioners.  3d  edi- 
tion, p.  9. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  245 

but  they  are  men  of  bad  lives,  and  subverters  even  of 
the  moral  precepts  of  the  heathens. 

Men  of  this  description  always  have  erred,  and  still 
continue  to  confuse  themselves,  in  thinking  of  the  be- 
ginning of  God,  for  in  thinking  of  God,  they  have  thought 
of  him  agreeably  to  the  powers  with  which  they  were 
endowed,  which  are  only  finite  and  created ;  whereas 
God  is  infinite  and  uncreated  ;  and  exceeds,  infinitely  ex- 
ceeds, every  idea  of  the  human  mind,  as  to  his  being 
and  perfections.  Consequently,  those  who  endeavour 
to  form  ideas  of  God,  as  to  his  essence,  think  from  what 
is  finite  and  created,  which  involves  a  beginning,  but 
which  cannot  be  so  respecting  God.  Thus  they  are  con- 
fused in  thinking  concerning  the  divine  essence,  or  Je- 
hovah, who  had  no  beginning  :  for  he  is  sclf-cssent,  self- 
existent,  infinite,  eternal  and  uncreated  ;  unsearchable,  in- 
comprehensible !  And  thus,  because  by  the  exertion  of 
their  finite  powers,  they  have  not  been  capable  of  com- 
prehending infinity,  and  a  beginning ;  they  have  from 
the  pride  of  their  self-derived  intelligence,  concluded 
that  there  is  no  God. 

In  the  Bible,  a  beginning  is  introduced,  u  In  the  be- 
ginning God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth  :"  but  it 
should  be  remembered,  that  this  passage  refers  only  to 
the  origin  of  this  world.  The  same  sacred  pages  inform 
us,  that  when  this  world  was  created,  other  creations 
were  in  existence.  c  Where  wast  thou  when  I  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  earth?  declare,  if  thou  hast  under- 
standing. When  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and 
all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy.'  •  When  these  men 
view  this  world,  which  without  variation  performs  its 
revolutions,  and  consider  by  what  power  those  immense 
bodies,  the  planets,  one  of  which  is  ascertained  to  be  a 
thousand  times  larger  than  the  eartli,  are  supported  in 
21* 


246  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


space,  on  what  base  the  pillars  of  our  world  are  fixed, 
or  to  speak  agreeably  to  literal  truth,  by  what  power  it 
moves  in  its  orbit  round  the  sun,  to  describe  the  various 
.seasons  of  the  year :  they  must  be  convinced,  that  the 
Omnipotent  only  could  create  these  mighty  orbs,  suspend 
them  in  space,  and  by  his  fiat,  cause  them  to  perform 
their  various  revolutions. 

But  if  we  turn  our  attention  from  the  solar  system  to 
(he  region  of  the  fixed  stars,  vain  is  the  attempt  to  form 
any  accurate  idea  concerning  them.  The  utmost  stretch 
of  thought  is  lost  in  the  vast  void  of  infinite  space  !  for 
though  they  are  perfectly  visible  to  us,  yet  we  know 
nothing  concerning  their  distances  from  the  earth  :  this 
we  can  easily  demonstrate  in  the  following  manner. 
According  to  experience,  the  nearer  we  approach  an 
object,  the  greater  its  magnitude  will  appear,  but  this 
rule  fails  in  the  present  case.  The  diameter  of  the 
earth's  orbit  is  known  to  be  about  two  hundred  millions 
of  miles,  and  if  the  altitude  of  the  north  pole  star  be  ta- 
ken when  the  earth  is  at  its  aphelion,  or  in  that  part  of 
its  orbit  which  is  farthest  from  the  sun  :  and  if  the  alti- 
tude be  again  taken  when  the  earth  is  at  its  perihelion, 
or  in  that  part  of  its  orbit  where  it  is  nearest  the  sun, 
it  will  be  found  to  have  no  parallax.  Though  the  earth 
is  two  hundred  millions  of  miles  nearer  the  same  star  at 
one  time  of  the  year,  than  it  is  at  the  other,  it  makes  no 
sensible  difference  as  to  the  apparent  magnitude,  or  alti- 
tude of  the  star;  even  with  the  aid  of  the  most  powerful 
telescopes,  it  still  appears  only  as  a  point.  The  answer 
of  the  psalmist  to  such  sceptics  as  these,  was,  and  still 
remains,  conclusive  :  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handy  work." 

But  if  these  men  were  to  consider  the  astonishing 
order  of  their  own  frame,  they  must  necessarily  be  con- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  24', 


vinced,  that  blind  chance  could  not  produce  such  a  work. 
The  psalmist  was  fully  sensible  of  this,  when  he  said, 
"I  will  praise  thee,  O  Lord,  for  I  am  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made."  From  which  declaration  we  may  con- 
clude, that  he  was  well  acquainted,  both  with  the  con- 
struction of  the  body,  and  the  nature  of  the  soul,  and 
from  thence  concluded,  that  man,  as  well  as  all  creation, 
was  the  work  of  infinite  wisdom. 

Can  any  of  these  men,  who  affect  singularity  by  pre- 
tending to  be  atheists,  inform  us,  by  what  wonderful 
mechanism  the  thought  falls  into  the  speech,  and  the 
will  into  the  action,  why  we  cannot  speak  without  think- 
ing, nor  act  without  an  order  from  the  superior  chamber 
of  the  will  !  why  the  seat  of  the  understanding  should  be 
in  that  part  of  the  brain,  in  the  cerebrum  extending  to 
the  osfrontis,  or  forepart  of  the  head,  and  which  may  be 
trepanned,  or  in  part  cut  away,  without  injuring  the  in- 
tellectual faculty  ?  or  why  the  other  hemisphere  of  the 
brain  should  be  seated  in  the  occiput,  or  back  part  of 
the  head,  where  the  fountain  of  life  is  so  delicate  and 
sensible,  that  if  it  were  only  touched  with  the  point  of  a 
needle,  it  would  produce  instant  death  ?  why  this  ex- 
ternal part  of  the  head,  which  is  the  most  defenceless, 
should  be  formed  double  the  thickness  of  any  other  part, 
unless  infinite  wisdom  had  so  framed  it  to  preserve  the 
brain  from  injury  ? 

If  we  take  a  cursory  view  of  the  anatomy  of  man, 
how  is  it  possible  for  the  professor  of  Atheism  to  sup- 
pose, that  nature,  or  chance,  could  assign  the  different 
and  mutual  offices  to  each  part  of  the  body  ?  cause  the 
heart  by  its  perpetual  labour,  to  throw  the  blood  through 
the  pulmonary  artery,  to  meet  the  oxygen  ?  ordain  it  to 
perform  the  first  and  last  action  ?  which  is  known  from 
the  state  of  an  infant  in  the  embryo,  and  from  this  cir- 


248  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION?. 


cumstancc,  that  when  the  lungs  have  ceased  to  act.  the 
heart  still  continues  its  motion,  as  is  the  case  with  per- 
sons in  a  drowning  or  dying  state. 

Let  such  men,  who  pretend  to  a  superior  degree  of 
knowledge,  inform  us,  how  chance  could  ordain  the  liver 
and  kidnies  to  perform  their  secretions,  and  by  the  ac- 
tion of  digestion,  form  the  chyle  for  the  production  of 
blood  ?  Were  they  to  acquaint  themselves  with  the  func- 
tions of  the  organs  of  sense,  they  must  be  convinced, 
that  such  perfections  could  not  be  produced  by  that  phan- 
tom of  the  imagination,  chance.  When  we  consider  the 
wonderful  properties  of  the  eye,  how  the  figures  of  ex- 
ternal objects  are  painted  on  the  retina,  where  the  mind 
sees  them  in  perfection  ;  how  the  muscles,  by  means  of 
the  nervous  influence,  elevate,  depress  and  point  it  to 
the  object ;  its  power  of  receiving  the  light  necessary, 
and  of  excluding  it  when  too  strong,  by  contracting  the 
pupil ;  the  peculiar  properties  of  the  chrystaline  humor, 
which  receives  all  the  ra}'S  from  outward  objects,  and 
represents  them  on  the  retina ;  the  membrane  which 
contracts  and  opens  in  order  to  vary  its  focus :  I  say, 
when  we  consider  the  wonderful  structure  of  the  eye  for 
its  most  valuable  uses  in  life,  it  must  be  evident,  to  eve- 
ry rational  man,  that  it  cannot  be  the  result  of  indiscrim- 
tnating  chance,  but  must  be  the  contrivance  of  infinite 
wisdom. 

Every  sense  is  as  wonderful ;  the  organ  of  feeling  is 
so  constructed,  that  the  nerves  extend  to  every  minute 
part  of  the  surface  of  the  body,  insomuch,  that  the  point 
of  a  needle,  applied  to  any  part,  comes  in  contact  with  a 
nerve,  which  conveys  the  sense  to  the  brain.  By  this 
sense,  we  are  enabled  to  form  just  conclusions  concern- 
ing the  qualities  of  bodies,  as  hard,  soft,  moist,  dry  :  of 
keeti  and  cold. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  249 


The  sense  of  smelling  is  no  less  useful,  than  the  con- 
struction of  its  organ  is  wonderful.  It  is  so  formed  as  to 
be  affected  with  the  odours  of  bodies,  and  conveys  them 
to  the  brain,  by  which  we  are  enabled  to  form  right  no- 
tions respecting  their  properties  and  uses.  There  is  also 
placed  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  olfactory  nerves,  the 
Ethmoides,  a  sieve-like  bone,  with  small  holes,  through 
which  the  filaments  of  the  nerves  pass,  the  office  of  which 
is,  to  distribute  the  nerves  upon  a  membrane,  wherein 
the  organ  of  smell  is  seated  ;  as  well  as  to  prevent  the 
effluvia  of  odoriferous  bodies,  from  acting  with  too  much 
power  upon  the  sensorium  :  which  would  have  been  the 
case,  had  it  been  carried  through  one  hole  only. 

Taste  appears  to  have  been  designed  to  stimulate  an- 
imated nature,  to  support  existence,  from  the  pleasure 
there  is  in  taking  food.  By  this,  we  distinguish  the  va- 
rious changes  of  sweet,  bitter,  salt,  sour;  but  how  these 
properties  of  the  tongue  and  palate,  which  are  excited 
by  the  nervous  papilla?,  exist  in  their  origin,  it  is  not 
possible  for  man  to  determine. 

We  know,  that  when  the  air,  or  atmosphere  is  put  in 
motion,  it  strikes  upon  the  tympanum,  and  passing  to 
the  auditory  nerve,  conveys  sounds  to  the  brain,  so  as  to 
enable  the  understanding  to  form  a  judgment  concerning 
what  is  intended  to  be  conveyed  to  the  mind  :  but  it  is 
not  possible  for  these  men  to  say,  how  chance  or  a  non- 
entity should  have  been  so  provident,  as  to  form  that  ex- 
quisite sensation  in  the  tympanum,  which,  when  the  at- 
mosphere is  put  in  motion,  rolls  on  that  delicate  mem- 
brane, and  then  by  the  nerve  conducts  it  to  the  seat  of 
the  understanding.  Nay,  it  is  not  possible  for  them  to 
believe,  though  they  may  for  the  sake  of  singularity  pro- 
fess it,  that  the  phantom  which  they  call  nature  or  chance. 


250  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


has  either  part  or  lot  in  the  cause  or  effect  of  what  ex- 
ists in  the  mind,  or  is  manifested  to  the  senses. 

In  addition  to  the  remarks  I  have  made  on  this  sub- 
ject, I  shall  furnish  the  reader  with  an  argument  which 
I  have  always  found  effectual  in  silencing  the  subtle  ob- 
jections of  the  professors  of  Atheism.  Among  the  few  I 
have  met  with,  I  never  found  one  who  was  able  to  prove 
what  he  professed,  or  to  open  his  mouth  in  refutation  of 
the  following  simple  and  conclusive  proposition. 

Agreeably  to  right  reason  and  sound  philosophy,  it  is 
acknowledged  by  all  intelligent  men,  that  a  nonentity 
cannot  produce  an  entity  ;  or  that  nothing  cannot  produce 
something  ;  this  being  admitted,  because  it  would  be  ab- 
surd to  deny  it,  it  follows,  that  this  world  is  cui  entity,  or 
something,  consequently  could  not  be  produced  from  a  non- 
entity, or  from  nothing. 


THEOPHILANTHROPISTS, 

From  the  Greek  ©5-«s,  <p/Aes,  and  uv6^tto^  the  love  of 
(jlod  and  man. 

I  rank  these  with  the  enthusiasts  of  the  day,  though 
they  were  of  a  more  dangerous  cast.  They  professed 
their  principles  in  France,  at  the  beginning  of  the  revo- 
lution. They  were  properly  Deists,  had  their  places  of 
worship,  as  they  called  them,  and  for  a  time  attracted 
some  notice  in  Europe.  It  was  an  effort  to  make  Deism 
the  religion  of  France  instead  of  Christianity,  but  they 
have  dwindled  into  obscurity,  and  are  known  only  by  the 
common  term  of  Deists. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION?.  25 i 


DEISTS. 

This  word  comes  from  the  Latin  word  Dens,  God. 
It  is  used  by  Deists,  to  signify  their  belief  in  one  God. 
So  that  in  this  sense,  Christians  are  Deists  also. 

Dr.  Samuel  Clarke  divides  the  anti-christian  Deists 
into  four  classes,  but  they  are  comprehended  in  two- 
The  first  professors  believe,  that  the  works  of  creation 
Sufficiently  prove  a  First  Cause  ;  that  this  Cause  is  not 
inherent  in  nature,  but  above  and  out  of  nature,  and  the 
creator  of  nature.  They  believe,  that  this  First  Cause 
does  not  work  by  providence,  in  the  affairs  of  the  world, 
except,  that  by  his  Almighty  power,  he  upholds  and  sup- 
ports creation.  Like  the  Epicurean  sect,  they  believe, 
that  he  is  too  great  to  notice  the  particular  concerns  of 
man,  consequently,  that  he  is  alike  unmoved  either  by 
good  or  evil. 

The  second  not  only  believe  in  the  existence  of  a 
God,  and  that  he  superintends  the  government  of  the 
world  by  his  providence  ;  but  as  they  do  not  believe, 
that  the  scriptures  are  of  divine  authority,  they  conclude, 
that  all  information  respecting  these  things  must  be  drawn 
from  the  book  of  nature  ;  consequently,  they  reject  all 
revelation,  do  not  believe  in  the  mission  of  Christ,  and 
maintain,  that  the  sacred  scripture  is  not  the  word  of 
God.* 

According  to  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke,  the  first  deistical 
writer  that  appeared  in  this  country  was  Herbert,  baron 
of  Cherbury.     By  his  writings,  he  formed  Deism  into  a 

*  See  Dr,  Valpy's  Address  to  his  Parishioners,  3d  edition 
octavo, 


252  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION?. 


system,  and  endeavoured  to  prove,  that  natural  religion 
was  sufficient  to  save  the  soul.  The  articles  of  their 
belief  are  these;  that  there  is  one  God:  that  he  is  to  be 
worshipped  :  that  piety  and  virtue  constitute  that  worship  : 
that  if  we  repent,  God  will  pardon  :  that  there  are  rewards 
a?id  punishments  in  the  future  state. 


SCRIPTURE,  AND  DIVINE  REVELATION. 

When  we  say,  that  the  sacred  scripture  is  the  word 
of  God,  we  do  not  mean,  that  it  was  all  spoken  by  him, 
or  that  it  was  written  by  him,  or  that  all  that  is  contain- 
ed therein  is  the  word  of  God  :  but  distinction  is  to  be 
made  between  those  precepts  which  inculcate  justice, 
mercy  and  holiness  of  life,  and  the  historical  parts,  which 
show  the  consequence  of  a  life  in  opposition  to  those 
principles.  The  first  are  properly  sacred,  because  they 
not  only  lead  man  to  happiness  even  in  this  life,  but  give 
him  an  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  in  the  life  to  come  ; 
and  thus  are  called  the  word  of  God,  as  these  perfections 
can  only  have  their  origin  from  the  Fountain  of  all  good- 
ness. With  respect  to  the  last,  though  many  passages, 
as  being  the  words  of  wicked  men,  may  be  considered  as 
the  speeches  of  Satan  ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  personifi- 
cation of  an  evil  spirit,  which,  on  this  account,  cannot  be 
called  the  word,  or  words  of  God ;  yet  even  these  parts 
have  a  similar  tendency,  as  they  show  the  malice,  pride 
and  blasphemy  of  the  spirit  of  wickedness ;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  the  beauty  of  that  spirit  of  divine  philanthro- 
py, which,  throughout  the  whole  Bible,  breathes  nothing 
but  peace  011  earth,  and  good  will  towards  men. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  253 


Deists  think  it  inconsistent  with  the  dignity  of  the 
Divine  Being,  that  he  should  commission  certain  men  to 
write  his  laws  in  a  book  ;  but  it  will  appear,  when  duly 
considered,  that  there  was  an  absolute  necessity  for  such 
a  proceeding.  Suppose  that  neither  the  precepts  of 
morality,  which  were  first  given  by  God  to  man,  and 
handed  to  us  by  the  Hebrew  lawgiver ;  nor  the  blessings 
of  religion,  which  are  the  bands  of  civil  society  ;  had 
ever  reached  the  shores  of  our  happy  land  ;  what  knowl- 
edge could  we  have  boasted  of  more  than 

4i  The  untaught  Indian  whose  untutorM  mind 
Sees  God  in  clouds,  and  hears  him  in  the  wind." 

Although  the  Bible  of  nature  had  been  before  our 
eyes,  not  a  single  precept  of  morality  should  we  have 
been  able  to  have  gathered  from  the  pages  of  this  book. 
What  was  the  state  of  the  ancient  Grecians  1600  years 
before  Christ  ?  rude,  barbarous  and  uncivilized  ;  until 
Lycurgus  and  Solon  introduced  their  code  of  laws,  the 
greatest  part  of  which  was  taken  from  the  books  of  Mo- 
ses ;  they  then  became  a  refined  and  scientific  nation. 
From  the  Greeks,  the  Romans  copied  their  precepts  of 
morality,  and  from  the  Roman?,  the  ancient  people  of 
Europe  received  the  greatest  part  of  their  moral  laws. 
From  which,  it  appears  evident,  that  every  precept  of 
morality  was  taken  from  the  Bible. 

There  is  one  argument  to  prove  the  authority  of  the 
word  of  God,  which  cannot  be  overturned  by  all  the  De- 
ists in  the  world.  If  the  Bible  be  not  the  word  of  God, 
it  must  have  been  written,  or  invented,  either  by  good 
men,  or  wicked  men  ;  but  if  it  can  be  proved  that  it  was 
neither  written,  nor  invented,  either  by  good  men,  or 
22 


254  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


wicked  men.  it  must  be  the  word  of  God.  That  it  was 
not  written,  or  compiled  by  wicked  men,  will  appear 
from  its  own  evidence,  for  if  it  is  to  be  judged,  we  must 
suffer  that  evidence  to  appear  in  its  defence.  Can  any 
Deist  be  so  weak  as  to  suppose,  that  wicked  men,  who 
were  in  the  love  and  practice  of  evil,  would  frame  laws 
to  punish  their  own  vices  in  this  world,  and  condemn 
themselves  to  everlasting-  punishment,  by  declaring, 
*:  the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  with  all  the  na- 
tions that  forget  God?"  And  again,  "Thou  shalt  not 
covet :"  this  reaches  the  thoughts  and  desires  of  the 
heart.  These  restrictions  and  declarations  are  opposite 
to  those  things,  which  are  contained  in  the  religious 
books  of  the  Mahometan  and  Pagan  nations,  which  are 
the  production  of  men,  in  which  permission  is  given  to 
indulge  in  sensuality.  This,  so  far,  is  a  certain  proof  of 
the  divine  origin  of  the  Bible. 

It  is  no  less  evident,  that  good  men  could  not  be  the 
authors  of  the  Bible.  For  had  it  been  compiled  by  good 
men,  the  same  good  men  neither  could  nor  would  have 
given  a  lie  to  their  profession  by  calling  it  the  word  of 
GoJ,  as  it  would  only  have  been  the  word  of  men  :  con- 
sequently, the  Bible  must  be  the  word  of  God,  inspired 
by  him  and  thus  given  to  man. 

It  must  be  allowed,  that  God  created  the  first  man  ; 
this  being  admitted,  as  it  cannot  be  denied,  we  cannot 
doubt,  that  he  would  give  him  a  law,  or  rule  of  life. 
Now,  whether  the  Divine  Author  of  our  being,  conde- 
scended to  speak  it  with  an  audible  voice, — to  write  it  on 
the  heart,  as  is  said  in  scripture,  or  whether  he  commis- 
sioned man  by  that  spoken  law,  or  from  that  writing  on 
the  heart,  to  write  it  in  a  book  for  the  instruction  of  pos- 
terity, it  amounts  to  the  same  ;  for  the  law,  or  word  of 
God,  first  spoken,  or  written  on  the  heart,  and  from 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


thence  written  in  a  book,  still  remains  to  be  the  word  of 
God,  first  given  by  him. 

The  possibility  of  such  inspiration  must  necessarily 
be  allowed,  for  certainly  it  was  no  more  wonderful  for 
God  to  inspire  man  to  write  his  will  in  a  book,  than  it: 
was  to  inspire  him,  or  enable  him  to  receive  by  continual 
influx,  a  regular  train  of  ideas. 

The  question  has  long  been  asked  by  Deists,  how 
shall  we  know  that  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God  ?  first, 
by  being  convinced  from  the  Bible,  that  the  precepts 
therein  contained  are  worthy  of  God  ;  that  the  pure  spir- 
it which  runs  through  the  whole,  inculcates  nothing  but 
love  to  God  and  charity  to  all  mankind,  viz.  u  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart."  Deut.  vi.  5. 
"Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  Levit  xix. 
18.  Matt.  vii.  12.  Luke  x.  27.  These  are  the  two 
great  commandments  which  pervade  every  page  of  the 
Bible,  ana  wnicn,  on  tiiis  accuum,  is  trulj  called  sacrtd  .- 
these  are  sacred  duties.  For  the  recorded  wickedness 
of  the  Jews,  or  of  any  other  nation  mentioned  in  the  Bi- 
ble, makes  no  part  of  the  word  of  God,  any  farther  than 
as  it  shows,  that  a  departure  from  those  precepts  of  true 
religion  recorded  therein  necessarily  draws  after  it  that 
train  of  fatal  consequences,  which  is  the  result  of  that 
disobedience  to  the  divine  command,  when  the  whole 
sum  and  substance  of  true  religion  contained  in  those 
two  great  propositions,  u  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself," 
are  not  manifested  in  the  life  of  man. 

Secondly,  from  the  accomplishment  of  those  things 
foretold  by  the  prophets,  beginning  with  Moses,  and 
which,  to  the  astonishment  of  every  impartial  man,  have 
been  fulfilling  from  their  times  to  the  present  day.  Now 
as  it  must  be  evident,  that  none  but  God  could  open  to 


256  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

man  those  scenes  of  futurity,  which  have  been  realizing 
for  the  space  of  3300  years,  and  as  those  precepts  of  mo- 
rality contained  in  the  Bible  could  never  be  gathered 
from  the  book  of  nature,  as  man  must  have  been  totally 
ignorant  in  a  savage  state  ;  and  as  it  is  clear,  that  he 
could  not  have  been  reformed,  or  civilized  without  a 
knowledge  of  those  precepts  ;  they  must  have  been  giv- 
en by  the  Creator :  consequently,  as  far  as  demonstration 
can  make  truth  appear,  it  is  undeniable  proof,  that  the 
-acred  scripture  is  the  word  of  God. 


THE    RELIGION    OF    THE    ANCIENT    ARABIANS 

Descended  from  the  patriarch  Abraham.  It  appears 
from  sacred  writ,  that  the  Arabians  descended  from  Ish- 
rnael,  the  son  of  Abraham,  Gen.  xxv.  13 — 15.     Here  the 

sons  of  Ishmael,    Jcmo  and    Kciiu.1 ,  ait;  iiiciilimic J  by    the 

prophet  Isaiah,  as  being  the  progenitors  of  the  Arabians. 
Ch.  xxi.  13 — 17.  The  burden  of  Arabia — the  inhabitants 
of  Jema — the  children  of  Kedar.  Arabia,  in  the  original, 
is  written  in  Arab,  from  the  root  Arab  ;  it  signifies  prior- 
ity, and  is  applied  to  the  evening,  as  being  prior  to  the 
morning  in  the  historical  order  of  the  creation.  This 
name  was  given  to  the  descendants  of  Ishmael,  because 
ishmael  was  the  elder  brother.  They  observed  the  rite 
of  circumcision  as  it  was  instituted  by  Abraham,  who 
performed  that  rite  on  Ishmael,  when  he  was  thirteen 
years  of  age.  It  must  be  allowed,  that  in  the  beginning 
they  worshipped  God  as  taught  by  this  son  of  Abraham, 
for  their  rites  and  ceremonies  were  much  the  same  as 
were  afterwards  observed  by  the  Israelites.  The  dre^ 
of  their  priests  was  the  same  ;  they  came  before  the  al- 
tar in  linen,  with  mitres  and  sandals:  and  swine's  flesh 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  25? 

was  forbidden  as  it  was  among  the  Hebrews.  So  thai 
what  has  been  said  concerning  the  dispensation  given  to 
Abraham,  is  also  applicable  to  Ishmael  and  his  descend- 
ants, so  long  as  they  continued  in  the  true  worship  of  God. 


THE    MODERN    ARABIANS. 

The  established  religion  of  the  modern  Arabians  is 
Mahometanism,  and  the  Zerif  or  Tserif  of  Mecca  is  the 
great  patriarch.  It  is  derived  from  the  Hebrew  word 
Tserif,  to  purify.  No  one  can  be  the  Zerif  of  Mecca  un- 
less he  can  prove  himself  lineally  descended  from  Ma- 
homet. He  is  the  sovereign  pontiff  of  the  Mahometans, 
and  his  word,  as  a  spiritual  prince,  in  every  thing  relat- 
ing to  religion,  is  obeyed  throughout  all  the  Mahometan 
nations  ;  such  is  the  implicit  faith  in  this  high  priest, 
that  when  any  disputed  matter  is  referred  to  him,  his  de- 
cision is  received  as  conclusive  ;  the  hierarchy  is  vested 
solely  in  this  descendant  of  Mahomet ;  like  the  oracles 
of  the  Pythian  goddess,  or  the  fiat  of  the  Roman  pontiff, 
there  is  no  appeal  beyond  the  denunciation  of  this  east- 
ern patriarch. 


THE   JEWS. 

Moses  was  called  to  be  the  lawgiver  of  the  Israelites, 
and  to  promulgate  the  unity  of  the  Divine  Being,  in  op- 
position to  polytheism,  at  a  time,  when  idolatry,  like  a 
mighty  flood,  had  swept  the  true  worship  of  God  from 
the  nations  of  the  east,  where  it  had  been  established  by 
Abraham,  the  father  of  Aram,  or  the  excellent,  for  so  the 
22* 


258  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


word  means,  that  country  being  esteemed  an  excellent 
country. 

The  Hebrews  were  captives  in  Egypt,  where  they 
were  very  severely  treated  by  the  Egyptians.  Accord- 
ingly, Moses  was  sent  by  God,  to  bring  them  out  from 
thence,  under  his  divine  protection,  to  the  land  of  Canaan. 
At  the  mount  Sinai,  God  descended  in  terrible  majesty, 
and  gave  the  law  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  nation,  as- 
it  is  recorded  in  Exodus  xx.  Moses  was  also  farther  in- 
structed in  all  things  relative  to  the  Jewish  church,  the 
sacrifices,  offerings  and  ceremonies,  which  he  committed 
to  writing  in  five  books,  and  which  by  way  of  distinction 
are  called  the  books  of  Moses.  These  books  contain 
the  whole  sum  and  substance  of  the  religion  of  the  Jews. 
Before  the  time  of  Abraham,  who  was  called  four 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  years  after  the  flood,  and  five 
generations  before  Moses,  the  ancestors  of  the  Jews 
were  called  Hebrews,  from  Eber,  the  father  of  Peleg, 
and  afterwards  Israelites,  from  the  time  of  Jacob,  who 
was  called  Israel.  But  his  descendants  were  not  known 
by  the  name  of  Jews,  until  the  division  of  the  nation, 
when  ten  out  of  the  twelve  tribes  established  the  king- 
dom of  Israel,  in  the  year  of  the  Julian  period  3734,  and 
who  were  overthrown  as  a  nation,  and  carried  into  cap- 
tivity in  the  year  3984  of  the  same  period,  after  having 
existed  as  a  separate  people  250  years.  Since  which 
time,  they  have  sunk  into  oblivion  among  the  different 
nations.  The  two  remaining  tribes,  Judah  and  Benja- 
min, took  the  title  of  Judah,  because  of  the  priority  of 
Judah,  agreeably  to  the  custom  of  primogeniture,  and 
established  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  on  which  account  they 
have  ever  since  been  called  Jews. 

The  first  government  given  to  the  Israelites  was  that  of 
a  divine  theocracy ;  Moses  was  the  visible  head  under  GooS 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  259 

From  Moses  to  the  end  of  the  reign  of  the  judges  of 
Israel,  the  patriarchal  government,  so  far  as  it  related 
to  the  kingly  office,  underwent  some  change.  The  only 
difference  was,  that  in  all  the  former  churches,  the  suc- 
cession was  hereditary,  but  in  this,  the  supreme  head  of 
the  state  was  elective.  This  form  of  government  con- 
tinued 300  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which,  a  monar- 
chical form  of  government  was  chosen,  which  was  he- 
reditary. 

This  government,  which  began  when  Samuel  govern- 
ed Israel,  was  also  a  theocracy,  for  God  did  not  with- 
draw the  divine  communication  from  them.  This  mon- 
archy commenced  with  Saul,  and  passed  to  David,  in  the 
year  of  the  Julian  period  3654,  and  ended  in  the  year 
4124,  in  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  having  continued  470 
years  ;  when  the  Jews  were  taken  captives,  divided  into 
small  bodies,  and  dispersed  in  different  parts  of  the  em- 
pire of  Babylon.  Here  they  remained  seventy  years, 
as  foretold  by  the  prophets,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem 
at  the  command  of  Cyrus.  When  they  returned  from 
the  captivity,  their  worship  and  sacrifices  were  restored, 
which  continued  to  the  end  of  that  church,  when  the 
government  was  overthrown,  and  the  whole  nation  dis- 
persed over  the  earth. 

We  have  seen,  from  what  has  been  said  concerning 
the  patriarchal  churches,  before  and  after  the  flood,  that 
a  difference  in  opinion  prevailed  among  them,  which 
produced  separate  congregations,  holding  the  same  opin- 
ions, which  led  them  to  dissent  from  the  established  wor- 
ship. So  among  the  idolatrous  nations,  we  find,  that  they 
had  different  idols  :  each  idol  was  taken  from  outward 
nature,  and  agreeing  by  some  resemblance  with  the  pas- 
sions and  propensities  in  themselves.  Hence  arose  a  num- 
ber of  different  sects,  even  among  the  idolatrous  nations. 


260  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


In  like  manner,  when  the  Hebrew  church  was  estab- 
lished, in  process  of  time  doctrinal  distinctions  were  made 
in  abundance,  and  sects  began  to  multiply  among  them. 
I  shall,  therefore,  notice  some  of  the  most  famous  of  these 
sectarians,  who  were  of  sufficient  consequence  to  be 
thought  worthy  of  remark  by  the  inspired  writers,  as 
well  as  by  the  great  historian  of  the  Hebrews. 

According  to  Josephus,  the  following  were  the  most 
noted  sects  of  professors. 


THE    ESSENES 


Were  a  very  strict  sect  of  religious  professors  ;  men 
who  practised  a  more  severe  kind  of  life,  abhorred  all 
manner  of  pleasure,  were  remarkable  for  their  conti- 
nence, and  accounted  it  the  greatest  virtue  not  to  give 
way  to  unlawful  desires.  They  despised  riches,  and  es- 
teemed a  free  and  mutual  enjoyment  of  one  another's 
goods  in  common  among  them,  as  the  purest  way  of  liv- 
ing. Towards  God  they  had  a  singular  devotion  ;  no 
profane  word  came  out  of  their  mouth,  nor  did  they 
speak  before  the  rising  of  the  sun,  except  in  prayer. 
Their  word  was  esteemed  equal  to  the  oath  of  others. 
They  were  strict  observers  of  the  sabbath,  and  provided, 
the  day  before,  necessary  provisions.  They  did  not 
even  light  a  fire  on  the  most  pressing  occasion,  but  the 
day  was  spent  in  the  most  profound  stillness. 

They  believed,  that  bodies  were  subject  to  death, 
but  that  souls  were  immortal.  That  those  who  have 
loved  and  practised  virtue,  enjoy  eternal  happiness ;  and 
that  those  who  have  lived  contrary  thereto,  abide  in  helJ 
forever. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  261 


THE    PHARISEES 

Were  ranked  among  the  most  accurate  interpreters 
of  the  law,  and  the  first  founders  of  a  sect  among  the 
Jews.  They  were  a  very  strict  sect,  and  so  called  from 
the  Hebrew  word  Phares,  which  means  to  separate,  or 
divide.  They  were  the  separatists  of  the  day  ;  they  sep- 
arated themselves  from  the  great  body  of  professors  by 
pretending  to  a  more  particular  observance  of  the  law. 
They  appear  to  have  been  so  externally  religious,  that 
they  withdrew  themselves  from  any  connexion  with 
others  as  much  as  possible  in  worldly  affairs.  They  pre- 
ferred the  oral  traditions  to  the  scriptures,  in  order  to  be 
looked  up  to  for  the  explanation.  They  placed  great 
dependance  on  washings,  -cashing  the  outside  of  the  cup 
and  platter.  They  wore  external  badges  of  sanctity 
called  phylacteries,  which  were  pieces  of  parchment,  on 
which  was  written  a  portion  of  the  law,  and  these  they 
wore  in  the  most  conspicuous  part  of  their  bodies,  or 
garments,  as  on  their  foreheads,  and  on  the  borders  of 
their  robes,  that  they  might  be  seen  of  men.  They  at- 
tributed every  thing  to  fate,  and  taught,  that  good  01 
bad  actions  were  for  the  most  part  inherent  in  man. 
They  believed  in  a  resurrection ;  that  the  souls  of  good 
men  only  assume  the  human  form,  and  that  those  of  the 
wicked  are  doomed  to  everlasting  punishment.  They 
also  believed  in  the  transmigration  of  souls,  which  ac- 
counts for  their  supposing,  that  John  the  Baptist,  Elias, 
or  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  had  entered  the  body  of  Christ. 
Matt.  xvi.  14. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


THE    SADDUCEE9 

Did  not  believe  in  fate,  and  denied  that  God  was  the 
immediate  cause  of  any  one  doing  either  good,  or  evil ; 
that  good  and  evil  are  the  choice  of  man,  and  that  man 
may,  just  as  he  pleases,  do  either.  They  denied  the 
existence  of  souls  after  death,  consequently,  neither  re- 
wards nor  punishments  attend  the  good,  or  bad.  The 
Pharisees  had  great  regard  one  for  another,  and  main- 
tained, for  the  advantage  of  their  sect,  a  strict  unanimity. 
The  Sadducees,  on  the  other  hand,  were  more  rigid  in 
their  morals,  and  conducted  themselves  with  less  meek- 
ness. 


THE    SCRIBES 

Constituted  a  peculiar  order  among  the  Jews,  and 
were  admitted  into  their  colleges.  They  wrote  the 
scriptures  to  supply  the  temple,  and  the  synagogues,  and 
none  were  permitted  to  be  read,  unless  they  had  been 
sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  the  rabbies,  appointed 
to  pr  side  at  the  head  of  this  college. 

There  were  two  orders  of  scribes,  viz.  those  who 
were  employed  in  their  judicial  proceedings,  and  those 
who  wrote  and  expounded  the  law.  The  first  are  call- 
ed, scribes  of  the  people,  Matt.  ii.  4.  The  last,  doctors 
of  the  law,  or  those  who  wrote  and  expounded  the  Pen- 
tateuch. These  last  also  had  their  separate  depart- 
ments ;  on  their  admission  to  this  degree,  they  wrote  the 
books  of  Moses,  and  did  not  expound  them,  because  it 
was  supposed,  with  great  propriety,  that  they  had  not  at- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  263 

tained  to  that  degree  of  knowledge  and  experience, 
which  was  thought  necessary  for  their  admission  to  the 
highest  degree  of  their  order.  Ezra  was  one  of  this 
description. 

But  we  find,  that  these  men  at  length  departed  from 
the  purity  of  their  order,  in  its  first  establishment.  By 
the  acquisition  of  wealth  and  power,  they  became  osten- 
tatious, oppressors,  and  the  greatest  hypocrites  of  the 
day. 

On  these,  Christ  pronounced  a  tco,  and  cautioned 
the  people  against  them.  '  Beware  of  the  scribes  who 
love  to  go  in  long  clothing,  and  love  salutations  in  the 
market  places,  and  the  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues, 
and  the  upper  rooms  at  feasts  ;  who  devour  widows' 
houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long  prayers  :  these 
?hall  receive  greater  damnation.' 


NAZARITES. 

The  Nazarites  were  those  who  made  a  vow  to  live 
a  more  pure  life  than  the  generality  of  professors.  The 
ceremony  of  the  vow  was  looked  on  as  a  most  solemn 
ceremony,  as  by  it  they  engaged  themselves  to  live  de- 
votedly to  God  :  and  the  consecration  continued  about 
eight  days.     Numb.  vi. 


LEVITES. 

The  Levites  descended  from  Levi,  and  were  called 
after  the  three  sons  of  Levi ;  from  Gershon,  Gershon 
ites  j  from  Koath,  Koathites ;  and  from  Merari,  Merar- 


264  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

ites.  They  were  set  apart  to  perform  all  the  inferior 
services  of  the  tabernacle,  to  fix  it  and  to  take  it  down. 
The  Gershonites  had  the  charge  of  the  coverings  and 
the  hangings  ;  these  were  taken  down  and  put  up  by 
them,  and  conveyed  from  place  to  place. 

The  Koathites  had  the  care  of  all  the  furniture  be- 
longing to  the  interior  part  of  the  sanctuary ;  and  they 
had  the  care  of  the  whole  wood-work,  while  in  the 
wilderness. 

At  the  time  of  David,  they  were  divided  into  24  or- 
ders, to  fill  the  offices,  or  inferior  places  in  the  temple  : 
to  these  were  added,  four  orders,  consisting  of  one  thous- 
and each,  who  praised  the  Lord  with  instruments  ;  four 
orders  of  porters,  and  six  orders  of  officers  and  judges, 
concerning  all  things  which  had  relation  to  the  tempo- 
ral state  of  religion.  The  number  of  Levites  who  had 
offices  assigned  to  them  in  the  temple,  was  twenty-four 
thousand.  To  these  were  added  the  Gibeonites,  whose 
office  it  was,  to  provide  and  hew  wood,  as  well  as  to 
procure  water  for  the  house  of  God. 


CHRIST,    THE    TRUE    MESSIAH. 

It  is  now  near  1800  years  since  the  dispersion  of  the 
Jews  took  place,  agreeably  to  the  words  of  Moses,  and 
during  this  great  length  of  time,  they  have  been  expect- 
ing their  Messiah  to  make  his  appearance.  And,  not- 
withstanding that  the  whole  of  the  prophecies  which 
foretold  the  coming  of  the  true  Messiah,  have  been  ful- 
filled in  the  person  of  Christ,  they  contend,  that  the  Mes- 
siah is  yet  to  come,  and  that  he  will  restore  them  to  their 
own  land,  with  greater  privileges  than  their  progeni- 
tors enjoyed,  under  the  most  prosperous  reign  of  their 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  265 


kings.  They  say,  that  he  will  subjugate  all  nations  to 
them,  and  that  Jerusalem  is  to  be  the  grand  centre  of 
government,  from  whence  they  are  to  send  forth  laws  to 
the  whole  world.  Therefore,  in  order  to  show,  so  as 
not  to  admit  of  a  refutation,  that  the  Messiah  is  already 
come,  and  that  the  prophecies  were  accomplished  in 
him,  I  shall  lay  before  the  reader  a  summary  of  those 
particulars,  foretold  by  the  prophets,  which  should  take 
place  at  his  coming  ;  that  those  things  were  accomplish- 
ed at  the  coming  of  Christ :  and  that  all  those  circum- 
stances and  things  which  were  to  take  place  at  the  com- 
ing of  the  Messiah,  and  which  took  place  at  the  coming 
of  Christ,  were  of  such  a  nature,  that  they  never  can 
take  place  again.  This  will,  without  the  possibility  of 
a  contradiction,  prove,  that  he  was  the  true  Messiah. 

In  pursuing  this  important  subject,  I  shall  in  a  great 
measure,  confine  myself  to  the  objections  of  a  modern 
writer,  among  the  Jews,  viz.  David  Levi,  who,  in  his 
,;  Dissertations  on  the  Prophecies,"  has  collected  the 
most  formidable  arguments  from  the  writings  of  the  rab- 
bies  and  learned  Jews,  ancient  and  modern,  to  prove, 
that  Christ  was  not  the  true  Messiah. 

In  the  24th  chapter  of  Numbers,  from  the  15th  to 
the  24th  verses,  these  writers  say,  that  Balaam  deliver- 
ed four  prophecies.  "  The  first,  concerning  the  noble 
descent  of  the  nation."  But  how  this  can  be  called  a 
prophecy,  I  know  not.  The  second,  "  concerning  their 
righteousness,"  but  it  was  not  possible  to  apply  this  at 
any  period  to  the  nation  of  the  Jezvs,  for  the  pages  of 
their  own  history  charge  them  with  a  character  the  very 
reverse  to  that  of  piety.  Moses  calls  them  "a  nicked, 
and  a  stiff-necked  generation,"  and  the  prophets  are 
uniform  in  representing  them  as  a  most  rebellious  peo- 
ple, from  the  time  that  thev  came  out  of  Egvpt.  to  their 
23 


M6  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

captivity  in  Babylon.  Amos  iii.  Farther,  the  prophet 
in  the  9th  chapter  foretels,  that  they  should  ever  con- 
tinue in  their  rebellion  against  God,  to  the  time  of  their 
utter  dispersion  over  the  whole  world,  verse  8th.  "  Be- 
hold, the  eyes  of  the  Lord  God  are  upon  the  sinful  king- 
dom, and  I  will  destroy  it  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth  :" 
so  much  for  the  righteousness  of  the  ancient  Jews  accor- 
ding to  their  own  prophets. 

In  the  23d  chapter,  verse  23,  the  Jews  translate  the 
beth  which  is  prefixed  to  Jacob,  by  the  word  in,  and  the 
same  to  Israel,  and  read  the  passage  thus,  surely  there  is 
no  enchantment  in  Jacob,  neither  is  there  any  divination 
in  Israel.  But  in  the  English  translation,  the  beth  is 
rendered  b}^  the  word  against  ;  which  is,  undoubtedly, 
with  this  construction,  the  true  rendering;  viz.  Surely 
there  is  no  enchantment  [can  succeed]  against  Jacob,  nor 
is  there  any  divination  [can  succeed]  against  Israel.  For 
as  Balaam  and  Balak  were  using  enchantments  against 
Jacob  and  Israel,  it  is  absurd  to  translate  the  beth  by  in. 
and  apply  it  to  mean  that  there  were  no  enchantments 
among  them. 

In  the  next  prophecy  they  inform  us,  that  "  Balaam 
foretels  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  restoration 
of  the  Jewish  nation  to  their  own  land  ;  and  as  this  was 
not  to  be  accomplished  till  the  latter  days,  he  therewith 
consoles  Balak,  by  informing  him,  that  he  would  not  at 
present  receive  any  injury  from  this  people,  for  that  the 
thorough  subjugation  of  Moab  b}'  them  would  not  take 
place  till  the  latter  days."  From  this  prophecy  of  Ba- 
laam, Levi,  and  all  the  Jewish  writers  attempt  to  show, 
that  the  subjection  of  Moab  and  Edom  was  not  accom- 
plished at  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  that  as  it  was  to  be 
accomplished  at  the  coming  of  the  true  Messiah,  Christ 
cannot  be  the  true  Messiah,  but  that  it  remains  to  be  ful- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  267 

tilled  when  the  true  Messiah  shall  come.  As  proof  that 
these  kingdoms  were  to  be  subjected  to  the  Jews,  at 
the  coming  of  their  Messiah,  their  writers  refer  to  Oba- 
diah,  verse  17th,  "  and  the  house  of  Jaccb  shall  possess 
their  possessions. "  But  their  rabbies  have  altogether 
mistaken  the  application  of  these  words  of  the  prophet ; 
for,  from  the  1st  to  the  end  of  the  16th  verse,  is  con- 
tained a  prophecy  against  Edom,  and  the  loth  and  16th 
verses  positively  say,  that  the  heathen,  and  not  Jacob, 
were  to  take  possession  of  Edom,  c  For  the  day  of  the 
Lord  is  near  upon  all  the  heathen  :  as  thou  hast  done,  so 
shall  it  be  done  unto  thee,  thy  reward  shall  be  upon 
thine  own  head.  For  as  ye  have  drunk  upon  my  holy 
mountain,  so  shall  all  the  heathen  drink  continually.'' 
The  prophet,  after  he  has  declared,  that  the  heathen 
should  take  possession  of  Edom,  says,  t;but  upon  mount 
Zion  shall  be  deliverance,  and  there  shall  be  holiness." 
If  this  is  not  a  prophecy  concerning  Christ,  it  can  neith- 
er have  meaning,  nor  application,  for  it  certainly  cannot 
-have  respect  either  to  the  Jews  or  to  their  Messiah. 
Surely  the  Jews  will  not  be  hardy  enough  to  declare, 
that,  holiness,  which  is  only  applicable  to  God,  who  alone 
is  holy,  can  in  any  sense  be  applied  to  them,  or  to  any 
people  :  but  it  is  literally  applicable  to  Christ,  who  u  was 
tempted  in  all  points  like  unto  us,  and  yet  without  sin."" 
So  that,  instead  of  the  prophet  prophesying,  that  the  Jews 
should  take  possession  of  the  land  of  Edom,  at  the  com- 
ing of  their  Messiah,  it  is  a  prophecy  concerning  the 
coming  of  Christ,  in  whom  holiness  was  only  to  be  per- 
fected. For  the  government  of  Edom  is  evidently  said 
by  the  prophet  to  be  in  existence  at  the  fulfilment  of 
this  prophecy,  verse  1 6th, l  as  thou  hast  done,  so  shall  it  be 
done  unto  thee,'  which  words  would  have  been  unneces- 
sary, without  meaning  and  application,  if  the  govern- 


268  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

ment  and  people  of  Edom  were  extinct,  when  the  Mes- 
siah came.  The  ancient  government  and  people  of 
Edom  must  therefore  have  been  in  existence  at  the  ful- 
iilment  of  the  prophecy  :  but  where  is  the  government 
of  Edom  now  ?  where  are  the  people  of  Edom  now  ? 
This  incontestably  proves,  that  it  does  not  refer  to  the 
Messiah,  who,  the  Jews  say,  is  to  come,  because  the  an- 
cient government  and  people  of  Edom  are  no  more. 
Edom  is,  as  it  has  been  for  1800  years,  in  the  possession 
of  the  heathen,  bands  of  strangers,  while  the  Edomites 
are  sunk  in  eternal  oblivion.  But  all  this  was  accom- 
plished at  the  coming  of  Christ,  the  true  Messiah,  when 
ihe  heathen,  agreeably  to  the  words  of  the  prophet, 
took  possession  of  Idumea  ;  when,  every  one  of  the  mount 
of  Esau  were  cut  off  by  slaughierver.  9.  and,  all  the  heath- 
en have  drunk  continually  upon  the  holy  mountain,  to  the 
present  day. 

The  next  in  order  are  the  prophecies  of  Moses. 
The  Jews  have  selected  two,  which  treat  on  "  the  res- 
toration of  the  nation,  and  the  destruction  of  their  ene- 
mies." But  they  have  introduced  one  of  the  most  ex- 
travagant notions  that  ever  entered  into  the  mind  of  man. 

We  are  told  of  two  descriptions  of  people  among  the 
Jews  ;  one,  known  to  be  such  ;  the  other,  who  are  se- 
cretly mixed  with  the  people  of  other  nations,  called 
"  the  compelled  ones."  These,  "  as  soon  as  they  can 
escape  from  the  popish  countries,  return  to  Judaism ;" 
and  to  these  they  say,  "  Moses  addresses  himself.  Deut. 
xxx.  1 .  '  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  all  these  things 
are  come  upon  thee,  the  blessing  and  the  curse,  which  I 
have  set  before  thee,  and  thou  shalt  call  them  to  mind 
among  the  nations,  whither  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  driv- 
en thee.'  "  But  I  ask  any  one  who  may  be  weak  enough 
to  entertain  such  an  opinion,  why  cannot  these  "  com- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS  269 


pelled  ones,"  as  they  are  pleased  to  call  them,  in  any 
popish  country,  return  to  Judaism  ?  they  have  had  the 
privilege  of  doing  so,  and  of  being  protected  in  that  wor- 
ship in  all  popish  countries.  Therefore,  as  there  is  no 
ground  for  such  an  opinion,  to  apply  the  words  of  the  in- 
spired penman  to  confirm  such  a  fallacy,  is  no  better  than 
profanation. 

"  Nothing,"  they  say,  "  of  this  nature,  took  place  at 
the  coming  of  Jesus ;" — true,  but  Moses  does  not  say, 
that  they  shall  return  to  Judaism.  That  the  Jews  will 
be  called,  we  believe,  and  that  they  will  finally  hear  the 
prophet,  whom  God  was  to  raise  up  from  among  them, 
we  believe  also  ;  but  Moses  has  no  where  said,  that  this 
prophet  should  be  raised  up  to  conduct  them  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  to  instruct  them  in  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  dispensation,  which  was  given  by  him,  and  which 
has  been  understood  by  Jews  in  all  ages  since  the  dis- 
persion. Had  this  been  the  meaning  of  the  sacred  wri- 
ter, that  they  were  to  be  called  to  Jerusalem,  and  that 
all  the  ceremonies  and  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tion were  to  be  celebrated,  as  described  in  the  books  of 
Moses,  there  would  not  have  been  any  necessity  for 
those  words  of  the  Lord  to  him,  Deut.  xviii.  18,  19.  "I 
will  raise  them  up  a  prophet  from  among  their  brethren, 
like  unto  thee,  and  I  will  put  my  words  in  his  mouth, 
and  he  shall  speak  unto  them  all  that  I  shall  command 
him  ;"  because  those  words  clearly  and  incontrovertibly 
apply  to  a  new  dispensation,  viz.  and  I  will  put  my  words 
in  his  mouth,  not  the  old  words,  or  law — and  he  shall 
speak  unto  them  all  that  1  shall  command  him,  not  the  old 
law  and  ceremonies  given  to  Moses.  Neither  would 
there  be  any  necessity  for  them  to  hearken  to  the  word 
of  a  new  prophet  according  to  the  19th  verse,  if  this 
prophet  had  only  to  communicate  to  them  what  they 
23* 


'270  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


were  already  well  acquainted  with,  viz.  the  rites,  cere- 
monies, and  sacrifices,  even  the  whole  body  of  old  Juda- 
ism. On  the  other  hand,  we  have  an  account  of  thou- 
sands of  Jews  being-  converted  to  Christianity  at  this  impor- 
tant period  ;  which  is  a  sufficient  proof,  that  those  ancient 
Jews  were  sensible  how  ineffectual  the  Jewish  sacrifices 
were  as  to  the  renewing  of  the  heart.  The  modern 
Jews  are  also  sensible  of  this,  as  they  say,  that  "  the y 
arc  to  be  converted,  the  heart  circumcised,  and  brought  to 
the  same  state  of  innocency  as  Adam  was  in  before  the  fall,"1 
and  all  this  is  to  be  done  by  u  miracles,  signs  and  won- 
ders in  the  heavens,  and  in  the  earth,  blood,  fire  and  pillars 
of  smoke/''  What  perversion  of  the  scripture  is  this  !  If 
external  signs,  and  wonderful  operations  were  calculated 
to  carry  rational  conviction  to  the  mind,  in  order  to  bring 
about  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  it  might  have  been 
expected  with  the  greatest  confidence  when  the  law  was 
given  at  Sinai — when  the  whole  nation  saw  the  awful 
descent  of  the  Divine  Majesty — when  the  mountain  shook  at 
(he  approach  of  the  hallowed  influence — when  the  peo- 
ple solicited  Moses,  that  he  would  speak  to  them,  instead 
of  God,  lest  they  should  die.  Also  in  their  journey 
through  the  wilderness,  for  forty  years,  when  they  saw 
so  many  signs,  wonders  and  miracles.  But  these  were 
soon  forgotten,  from  which  it  must  be  evident,  that  some- 
thing more  interior  than  what  affects  the  outward  senses, 
is  required,  in  order  to  produce  so  desirable  an  end  as 
the  circumcision  of  the  heart. 

But  this  circumcision  of  the  heart,  they  inform  us, 
t;  was  not  accomplished  during  the  continuance  of  the 
second  temple,  nor  at  the  coming  of  Jesus,"  from  which 
ihey  infer,  that  as  it  was  to  be  done  at  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  he  is  not  yet  come.  But  these  writers  are  not 
consistent ;  they  say.  "  this  circumcision  of  the  heart  is 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  271 

not  to  be  brought  about  by  God's  depriving  man  of  hit 
free  will ;"  then  as  many  as  believed  in  Christ  through 
the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  and  saw  the  necessity  of  a 
u  circumcision  of  the  heart" — instead  of  an  outward  cir- 
cumcision ;  a  circumcision  of  the  heart,  which  taught, 
them,  that,  to  obey  was  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  heark- 
en, than  the  fat  of  rams,  and  which  circumcision  of  the 
heart  could  not  be  brought  about  by  the  Jewish  sacri- 
fices, as  is  plain  from  the  above  words,  without  a  belief  in 
the  great  sacrifice,  Christ :  with  such  believers,  this  cir- 
cumcision of  the  heart,  spoken  of  by  Moses,  was  accom- 
plished at  the  coming  of  Christ.  It  is  not  said,  that  the 
hearts  of  all  the  Jews  should  be  so  circumcised  ;  it  would 
be  a  good  thing  indeed,  if  not  only  the  hearts  of  all  the 
Jews,  but  also  if  the  hearts  of  all  who  profess  Christian- 
ity were  so  circumcised.  Daniel  is  of  a  different  opin- 
ion ;  for  he  declares,  not  only  concerning  Jews,  but  also 
other  nations,  that  notwithstanding  all  the  signs  and  mir- 
acles which  have  been  done,  or  which  may  be  done,  the 
wicked  shall  do  wickedly. 

We  are  told  by  Levi,  and  the  rabbies,  that,  all  shall 
know  the  Lord,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  which  they 
apply  to  the  Jews  ;  but  it  is  evident  what  the  prophet's 
meaning  is,  in  this  passage.  In  all  nations,  where  God  is 
worshipped  agreeably  to  the  scriptures,  wicked  men 
know  God  ;  the  devils  know  God,  the  devils  believe  and 
tremble.  But  the  prophet  was  taking  a  retrospect  of  the 
wickednesses  of  the  Jews,  when  they  were  so  involved 
in  idolatry,  that  the  people,  from  the  least  unto  the 
greatest,  did  not  know  the  true  God  from  the  idol  gods, 
because  they  were  not  taught  the  knowledge  of  the  God 
of  heaven,  but  were  taught  to  worship  the  idol  gods  of 
the  nations  around  them  ;  and  therefore  he  says,  speak- 
ing of  this  time  to  come,  all  shall  know  the  Lord,  from  tlie 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION. 


least  unto  the  greatest :  even  their  children  who  were 
then  instructed  in  the  worship  of  idols,  were  to  be  made 
sensible,  that  the  God  who  was  to  be  worshipped,  was 
not  an  idol,  but  he  who  made  the  heavens. 

That  this  is  the  plain  meaning  of  this  passage,  and 
that  it  refers  to  Christ,  will  appear  from  what  follows. 
The  Jews  expect,  that  when  the  Messiah  comes,  the  old 
covenant,  the  law,  sacrifices  and  worship,  are  to  be 
again  restored,  as  at  the  first  temple.  But  the  proph- 
et expressly  denies  this,  Jeremiah  xxxi.  31,  32,  33. 
i  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make 
a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the 
house  of  Judah  ;  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I 
made  with  their  fathers,  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  by 
the  hand,  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  But 
this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the 
house  of  Israel ;  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will 
put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their 
hearts.'  Thus  does  the  prophet  declare,  that  the  cove- 
nant was  not  to  be  like  that  which  was  established  with 
their  fathers,  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  at  Sinai  ; 
not  the  Mosaic  covenant,  but  it  was  to  be  a  new  covenant, 
altogether  different  from  the  other,  which  was  to  be  en- 
tirely abolished.  All  this  was  accomplished  at  the  com- 
ing of  Christ,  the  old  covenant  was  destroyed,  and  he 
made  a  new  covenant ;  he  taught  them,  that  his  law  was 
to  be  of  an  internal,  and  not  of  an  external  nature,  that 
it  was  to  be  written  on  their  hearts. 

"  Moses,  (we  are  told)  informs  us  of  three  most  im- 
portant, and  wonderful  events  which  are  to  take  place 
at  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  viz.  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  and  the  punishment 
of  their  enemies.  The  first  is  expressed  by  his  saying, 
/  hilly  and  I  will  make  alive  ;   the  second  by  the  expres- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  273 

sion,  /  have  wounded,  and  I  will  heal  ;  the  third,  neither  is 
there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand."  The  applica- 
tion of  these  clauses  is  too  absurd  for  notice.  This  no- 
tion, that  the  dead  Jews  are  to  rise  again  when  the  Mes- 
siah comes,  must  raise  a  blush  among-  the  living  Jews. 
The  application  of  the  second  to  the  restoration  of  the 
Jews,  is  as  absurd,  viz.  /  have  wounded,  and  I  will  heal  ; 
but  to  apply  the  third,  viz.  neither  is  there  any  that  can 
deliver  out  of  my  hand,  to  God's  whetting  his  glittering 
sword,  and  ripping  up  the  nations  ;  who,  by  Levi,  and  these 
rabbinical  writers  are  charged  with  being  enemies  to  the 
Jews,  is  making  God  a  most  merciless  being,  and  could 
never  have  been  published  by  men  of  sane  intellect,  res- 
pecting divine  things.  I  think  it  charitable  to  impute 
such  a  conclusion  to  this  cause,  for  if  the  Jews  as  a  body 
cordially  believed  it,  it  would  prove  them  monsters  in- 
deed ;  and  in  such  case,  we  may  consider  it  as  a  happy 
circumstance,  that  they  have  not  the  power  to  act  in  con- 
formity with  such  opinions.  But  the  Jews,  as  a  body, 
are  not  to  be  charged  with  such  base  intentions,  they 
are  no  doubt  the  whims  of  a  few  intemperate  individu- 
als :  with  credit  to  the  Christian  religion,  we  may  adopt 
the  words  of  Levi,  "  this  was  not  accomplished  at  the 
coming  of  Christ." 

Again.  These  writers  declare,  that,  "  all  the  glory 
will  be  restored,  as  in  the  first  temple,  viz.  the  shechi- 
nah,  or  divine  presence,  the  ark  and  cherubim,  the  spir- 
it of  prophecy,  fire  from  heaven,"  &c.  and  all  the  proof 
they  bring,  that  this  will  be  done,  is  from  the  following 
passage,  l  For  thou  shalt  hearken  unto  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  thy  God,  to  keep  his  commandments,  and  his 
statutes,  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  this  law,  be- 
cause thou  wilt  turn  unto  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine 
heart,   and   with  all  thy  soul.'     But  many  persons,  or 


274  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

even  a  whole  nation,  turning  to  the  Lord  their  God,  and 
keeping  his  commandments,  is  no  proof  that  these  things 
will  be  again  restored  ;  if  the  old  covenant,  the  old  law, 
the  old  sacrifices,  the  old  ordinances,  and  the  whole  body 
of  old  Judaism,  (as  observed)  were  to  be  again  restored, 
there  would  be  no  occasion  for  another  teacher  like  Mo- 
ses, no  necessity  for  that  promise,  1 1  will  raise  them  up 
a  prophet  from  among  their  brethren,  like  unto  thee, 
and  will  put  my  words  in  his  mouth,  and  he  shall  teach  un- 
to them  all  that  I  command  him.'  From  which,  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  this  teaching  was  to  be  something  new,  and 
very  different  from  the  old  law,  or  the  old  teaching  ;  for 
the  Jews  are  all  well  acquainted  with  the  old  teaching. 
This  is  also  said  to  be  a  future  command,  viz.  he  shall 
teach  unto  them  all  that  I  shall  command  him,  not  all  that 
has  been  commanded  in  the  old  law  ;  from  all  which  it 
is  as  plain  as  demonstration  can  make  truth  appear,  that 
a  new  law,  and  not  the  renewal  of  the  old  Mosaic  law, 
was  to  be  given,  agreeably  to  these  words  of  Moses,  a 
total  abolition  of  all  the  Jewish  sacrifices  and  ceremonies 
was  to  be  accomplished  at  the  coming  of  the  true  Messi- 
ah, which  was  fulfilled  at  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  which 
is  undeniable  proof,  that  Christ  was  the  true  Messiah. 

Levi  says,  "  The  third  who  prophesied  of  the  re- 
demption, and  future  restoration  of  the  nation  was  Isai- 
ah, which  is  contained  in  the  2d,  3d,  and  4th  verses  of 
the  second  chapter,  for  as  the  prophet  makes  use  of  the 
expression,  in  the  latter  days,  it  is  clear,  that  he  thereby 
meant  the  days  of  the  Messiah,  and  thus  say  Kimchi  and 
Abarbanal."  Very  well,  and  so  say  all  Christians  ;  for 
this  is  no  proof  that  Christ  was  not  the  true  Messiah. 
On  the  contrary,  it  must  be  admitted  on  all  hands  to  be 
confirming  proof,  that  he  was  the  true  Messiah,  for  these 
are  allowed  to  be  the  latter  days  according  to  the  prophet. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION-.  -:., 


These  writers  condemn  all  the  Christian  writers, 
who  say,  that  Christ,  or  the  religion  of  Christ,  was  to 
convince  many  nations  of  their  vices  and  errors,  that  it 
was  to  be  a  religion  which  had  the  strongest  tendency 
to  promote  peace,  but,  "  no  such  universal  peace  as 
foretold  by  the  prophets  has  ever  taken  place."  It  is 
reasonable  to  suppose,  that  Levi,  and  the  rabbies  he 
quotes,  had  never  read  the  New  Testament.  Christ 
says,  "  do  unto  others  as  ye  would  they  should  do  unto 
you ;"  if  this  precept  were  observed  by  all  nations, 
there  certainly  would  be  universal  peace,  but  if  man, 
from  motives  which  are  opposite  to  Christianity,  will  do 
those  things  to  others  which  he  would  not  have  others 
do  to  him,  no  wonder  there  are  wars  and  fightings  : 
"  whence  come  wars  and  fightings?''  says  the  apostle  ; 
his  answer  is  contained  in  three  words,  "  Of  your  lusts." 
The  religion  of  Christ  has  convinced  many  nations  of 
their  errors,  and  it  must  be  acknowledged  by  the  whole 
world,  that  he  has  founded  a  religion,  which  when  its 
precepts  are  observed,  has  the  strongest  tendency  to 
promote  universal  peace.  Not  so  under  the  Mosaic 
dispensation  :  for  that  was  a  system  of  warfare  from  the 
time  of  their  coming  out  of  Egypt,  to  their  final  disper- 
sion, and  which  must  be  very  strong  evidence  with  the 
Jews,  that  Christ  was  the  true  Messiah. 

But  the  Jewish  writers  say,  that,  "as  the  temple 
was  not  rebuilt  when  Christ  came,  which  was  not  to  be 
destroyed  any  more,  (agreeably  to  the  words  of  the 
prophet)  Christ  cannot  be  the  true  Messiah."  The  pas- 
sage they  quote  to  prove  this,  is,  Isaiah  ii.  2.  l  It  shall 
come  to  pass  in  the  latter  days,  that  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  established  on  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  exalted  above  the  hills.'  They  say. 
•;  by  the  word  established,  it  is  plain  that  he  meant,  it 


2?6  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

was  to  be  fixed  unalterably,  of  course  it  was  not  to  be 
destroyed  any  more."  As  the  Jews  are  led  to  under- 
stand this  literally,  I  ask  them  how  it  is  possible  for  the 
mountain  of  a  house  to  be  established  on  the  top  of  moun- 
tains ?  This  is  plainly  a  figurative  expression :  the 
prophet  reminds  them  of  their  idolatrous  worship,  which 
was  established,  or  performed  on  the  tops  of  mountains, 
or  hills,  and  he  informs  them,  that  instead  of  worship- 
ping idols  on  the  tops  of  mountains,  as  heretofore  they 
had  done,  the  worship  of  the  Lord,  called  the  house  of 
the  Lord,  should  be  greater  in  its  numbers  and  excellen- 
cy than  all  the  idolatrous  worship  on  the  mountains,  and 
that  it  should  be  exalted  above  the  worship  of  the  gods 
of  the  hills. 

The  word  £WO  Beroesh,  when  it  is  applied  to  time, 
means,  in  the  beginning,  when  it  is  applied  to  persons 
and  things,  it  means,  the  most  excellent,  and  with  the  pre- 
fix ^  beth,  which  means,  in,  it  will  read,  the  mountain 
of  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  established  in  the  most  ex- 
cellent of  the  mountains.  No  one  can  doubt,  but  that  this 
is  a  figurative  expression,  signifying  the  Christian  church, 
which  was  to  be  promulgated  from  Jerusalem,  and  which 
was  to  be  established  at  the  coming  of  Christ,  agreeably 
to  his  own  word.  But  to  apply  this  prophecy  to  the 
building  of  a  temple,  or  place  of  worship  on  the  top  of 
a  mountain,  where  all  nations  were  to  flow  unto  it,  liter- 
ally, is  not  only  contradictory  in  point  of  possibility,  but 
it  shows  what  a  lamentable  opinion  the  Jews  must  have 
concerning  the  sanctity,  and  the  true  understanding  of 
the  scriptures.  In  the  original,  the  passage  is  not 
H*0  n*l!T>  *in  the  mountain  of  the  Lord^s  house,  but 
fy\T\*>  n*0  in  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  masculine  pronoun  ffifl  he,  which,  in  the  translation, 
is  rendered  by  the  neuter  pronoun  it,  refers  to  the  word 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGION 5.  2» 


Hin^  Lord,  and  not  to  fi^D  house.  The  verse  truly 
reads,  The  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  es- 
tablished on  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  exalted  above  the 
hills,  and  all  nations  shall  flock  unto  him. 

The  Jewish  writers  assert,  that  the  prophet  ad- 
dresses the  nation,  Isaiah  lv.  5.  "  Behold,  thou  shalt  call  a 
nation,  that  thou  knowest  not,"  viz.  a  nation  not  in  ex- 
istence, evidently ;  u  and  nations  that  knew  not  thee  shall 
run  unto  thee,  because  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  for  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  for  he  hath  glorified  thee."  But 
this  is  a  most  profound  mistake,  for  the  Jewish  nation  was 
then  known,  and  the  prophet  is  addressing-  God,  not  the 
Jewish  nation.  The  prophecy  is  directed  to  a  single 
person,  under  the  title  of  the  Redeemer,  beginning  at 
chapter  xlix.  7.  u  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  Redeemer  of 
Israel,  and  his  Holy  One,  to  him  whom  man  despiseth, 
to  him  whom  the  nation  abhorreth."  Surely  no  Jew  in 
his  senses  will  again  tell  us,  that  this  Redeemer,  this  per- 
son despised  by  man,  and  abhorred  by  the  Jewish  nation, 
is  to  be  their  Messiah  ?  Levi,  from  the  rabbies,  observes 
in  another  place,  "  that  he  will  bring  with  him  such  ev- 
ident marks  of  his  Messiahship,  that  the  nation  will  re- 
ceive him  with  open  arms,"  instead  of  abhorring  him. 
But  this  scripture  was  literally  accomplished  in  Christ, 
who  was  despised  by  man,  and  abhorred  by  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. 

If  we  pursue  the  prophecy,  we  find  in  the  next  chap- 
ter, that  the  same  person  is  spoken  of,  for  this  cannot  be 
a  personification  of  the  Jewish  nation.  Howr  can  it  be 
said,  "  they  gave  their  back  to  the  smiters,  and  their 
cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair  f"  But  the 
prophet  evidently  refers  to  the  Christian's  Redeemer, 
who  literally  "  gave  his  back  to  the  smiters,  and  his 
cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair." 
24 


27U  HKFOUY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


In  Isaiah  li.  4,  5.  the  same  divine  person  speaks  by  the 
prophet  thus  :  ••  A  law  shall  proceed  from  me,  and  I  will 
make  my  judgment  to  rest  for  a  light  of  the  people  :  my 
righteousness  is  near,  my  salvation  is  gone  forth,  and 
mine  arm  shall  judge  the  people  :  the  isles  shall  wait  on 
me,  and  on  mine  arm  shall  they  trust."  A  moment's  re- 
llection  would  convince  any  one,  that  these  words  cannot 
mean  either  the  Jews,  or  the  .Messiah  they  expect  to 
come.  How  can  it  be  said,  that  the  righteousness  of  the. 
Jen's,  or  that  the  righteousness  of  the  Messiah  they  ex- 
pect to  come,  is  gone  forth  ?  as  to  the  righteousness  ot' 
the  Jews,  we  have  not  seen  any  thing  of  it  in  them  more 
than  in  Christians  ;  and  as  to  the  second,  viz.  the  right- 
eousness of  their  Messiah,  who.  they  say,  is  yet  to  come, 
his  righteousness  has  not  gone  forth.  It  must  appear 
equally  as  clear,  that  the  words,  and  on  mine  arm  shall 
they  trust,  cannot  mean,  that  we,  the  Gentiles,  are  to  trust 
on  the  arm  of  the  Jews  :  we  arc  commanded  to  trust  in 
the  arm  of  God,  and  not  in  the  arm  of  man.  Again, 
verse  8.  "  My  righteousness  shall  be  forever,  and  my 
salvation  from  generation  to  generation."'  From  which 
it  is  obvious,  that  the  righteousness  of  the  Jews  is  not 
meant,  nor  can  the  righteousness  of  their  visionary  Mes- 
siah be  understood  ;  but  it  refers  to  Christ,  whose  right- 
rousness  only  is  forever,  and  whose  salvation  is  from  gener- 
ation to  generation.  Let  but  the  Je-.v  look  at  the  fruit 
of  this  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  he  will  he  convinced, 
that  it  is  the  righteousness  spoken  of  by  the  prophet, 
viz.  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself;"  to  which  is  added, 
k  do  unto  others  as  ye  would  they  should  do  unto  you — 
sell  all  thou  hast,  give  to  the  poor,  and  take  up  thy  cross 
and  follow  me." 

The  same  vein  of  prophecy  is  pursued  by  the  proph- 
et in  the  following  53d  chapter,  where  the  same  persom 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  279 


the  Redeemer,  is  mentioned,  and  continued  throughout 
the  whole.  Here  the  Redeemer  is  again  introduced,  as 
having  his  visage  more  marred  than  any  man.  and  that  he 
shall  sprinkle  many  nations.  But  can  this  be  said  of  the 
Jews  ?  are  their  visages  more  marred  than  the  visages 
of  others?  Have  they  sprinkled  many  nations,  or  arc 
they  likely  to  redeem  them  from  uncleanness  ?  which 
must  necessarily  be  the  case  with  them  if  this  prophecy 
were  applied  to  the  Jewish  nation.  But  we  see,  that 
their  visages  are  not  more  marred  than  any  man's,  and 
it  is  truly  absurd  to  suppose,  that  they  are  to  sprinkle 
the  nations,  or  redeem  them  from  uncleanness. 

The  same  order  is  observed,  as  the  prophecy  goes 
on  in  the  next  chapter.  "  He  is  despised  and  rejected 
of  men,  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief; — 
•surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.1" 
In  the  name  of  common  sense,  can  it  be  said,  that  the 
Jewish  nation  has  borne  the  griefs,  and  carried  the  sor- 
rows of  the  Gentile  nations  ?  that  the  Jews  arc  wounded 
for  our  transgressions  ?  that  they  are  bruised  for  our  in- 
iquities ?  that  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  is  upon 
them  ?  and  that  with  their  stripes  we  arc  healed  ? 

But  that  which  renders  it  conclusive,  that  the  whole 
prophecy  cannot  mean  the  Jewish  nation,  or  the  Messiah 
they  expect  to  come,  is  the  following  clause,  verse.  8. 
"  Who  shall  declare  his  generation  ?  for  he  was  cast  out 
of  the  land  of  the  living  :  for  the  transgression  of  my 
people  was  he  stricken  ;" — for  all  know  the  origin,  and 
the  generation  of  the  Jews,  who  sprang  from  Abraham. 
Neither  can  they  suppose,  that  the  words,  "  he  was  cut 
off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living,*'  can  apply  to  the  Jews, 
or  to  the  Messiah  who  is  expected  by  them  ;  because 
they  vainly  imagine,  that  he  is  to  restore  them  to  univer- 
sal empire,  therefore,  they  cannot  allow,  that  either  the 
Jewish  nation,  or  this  Messiah  is  to  be  "  cut  off  out  of 


280  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  land  of  the  living."  Again,  "  for  the  transgression 
of  my  people  was  he  stricken;"  if  by  the  words  my  peo- 
ple, we  are  to  understand  the  Jewish  nation,  then  certainly 
they  cannot  be  applied  to  mean  their  Messiah  also,  and 
if,  on  the  other  hand,  we  were  to  understand,  that  these 
words,  my  people,  mean  the  Gentile  nations,  for  whom  the 
Jewish  nation.'was  stricken,  as  these  writers  inform  us, 
they  must  acknowledge,  that  the  Gentile  nations  are  the 
people  of  God,  which  will  not  be  granted  by  them.  For 
then,  instead  of  the  nations,  M  running  to  the  Jews  to  be 
instructed  in  the  true  word  of  God,"  as  we  are  told  by 
Jews,  that  they  will,  the  Jews  must  apply  to  them  for 
such  knowledge.  Both  these  statements  are  against  so 
unscriptural  a  conclusion,  which  is  a  proof  to  what  a 
pitch  of  folly  and  blasphemy  these  writers  have  worked 
themselves  up  ;  folly,  in  supposing,  that  a  few  Jews  are 
to  teach  all  nations  the  true  understanding  of  the  word 
of  God ;  and  blasphemy  in  declaring,  that  the  Jewish 
nation  is  meant,  instead  of  the  Redeemer,  when  it  is  obvi- 
ous, throughout  the  whole  prophecy,  that  the  person  of 
the  Redeemer,  and  not  the  Jews,  is  mentioned  by  name. 
These  writers  inform  us,  that  at  the  return  from 
what  they  call  the  captivity,  "  the  ark,  the  shechinah, 
or  visible  symbol  of  the  divine  presence,  will  be  again 
restored  to  them,  as  it  was  in  the  first  temple."  But  the 
prophet  Jeremiah  expressly  says,  chapter  iii.  16.  "In 
those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  they  shall  say  no  more,  the 
ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord ;  neither  shall  it  come 
to  mind,  neither  shall  they  remember  it,  neither  shall 
they  visit  it,  neither  shall  that  be  done  any  more."  If 
rhis  be  not  a  plain  contradiction  to  such  an  assertion, 
then  there  is  no  meaning  in  language.  To  meet  this 
declaration  of  the  prophet,  the  tale  invented  by  the  Jews, 
asserts,  that  the  ark  which  was  destroyed  with  the  first 
temple,  is  never  to  be  restored,  that  as  it  was  customary 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


for  them  to  swear  before  the  ark  and  the  altar,  they  arc 
to  be  so  holy  at  this  period,  that  they  shall  not  have  oc- 
casion even  to  come  before  the  ark,  or  to  remember  it, 
but  they  shall  do  strict  justice,  and  always  adhere  to  the 
truth  without  an  oath.  Surely  every  rational  Jew  must 
see  the  weakness,  folly  and  presumption  of  such  a  per- 
verted application  of  the  original  text. 

The  prophet  Haggai  says,  chapter  ii.  "  Who  is  left 
among  you  that  saw  this  house  in  her  glory  ?  and  how  do 
you  see  it  now  ?  is  it  not  in  your  eyes,  in  comparison  of 
it,  a<  nothing  ?  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  will  shake 
all  nations,   and  the  desire  of  nations  shall  come,  and  I 
will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith  the   Lord  of  hosts. 
The  glory  of  this  latter  house   shall  be  greater  than  of 
the  former,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."      But  this  certainly 
was  not  the  case,  as  it  related  either  to  the  building  or 
to  the  glorious  manifestations  at  the  time  of  the  first  tem- 
ple, for  at  the   return  from  Babylon,  they   had  not  the 
Urim  and  Thummim,  the  Shechinah,  or  divine  glory,  as 
at  the  time  of  the  first  temple.     Therefore,  these  words 
of  the  prophet  must  evidently  refer  to  a  new  and  spirit- 
ual dispensation,  which  was  to  be  manifested  during  the 
continuance  of  this  second  temple,  for  the  words  of  the 
prophet  are  positive,  that  4*  the  glory  of  this  latter  house 
should  be  greater  than  of  the  former,"-  and  as  this  was 
not  so  as  to  the  external  part,  nor  as  to  any  thing  it  con- 
tained, it  plainly  refers  to  a  new  religion,  which  did  not 
consist  in  outward  ceremonies  only,  but  which  reached 
the  thoughts  and  desires  of  the  heart.    Such  is  the  relig- 
ion of  the  true  Messiah,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     And  in 
full  and  decided  confirmation  of  this  view,  I  ask,  where 
is  the  second  temple  now  ?  where  is  this  building  in  which 
a  display  of  (he  divine  goodness  was  to  fill  it  with  glory  ?  in 
which  the  divine  glory  was  to   be  greater  than  the  former  ? 
It  is  not  possible  to  understand,  that  the  words  of  the 
24* 


282  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

prophet  can  apply  to  any  circumstance  at  this  time  of 
the  world,  because  the  second  temple  in  which  this  su- 
perior glory  was  to  appear,  was  laid  in  ashes  by  the  Ro- 
man army  1800  years  since. 

The  prophet  Micah  also  says,  chapter  v.  2.  "  But 
thou  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among 
the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come 
forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel :  whose  goings 
forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting ;"'  which 
prophecy  was  literally  fulfilled  by  the  Christian's  Re- 
deemer, who  came  out  of  Bethlehem.  But  what  is  be- 
come of  Bethlehem  now  ?  Bethlehem  is  no  more,  nor  can 
any  one  tell  us  where  ancient  Bethlehem  stood.  Where 
are  the  thousands  of  Judah  ?  How  inconsistent  then  it  is, 
for  the  Jews  to  contend  for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
and  how  plainly  contradictory  to  the  express  declarations 
of  their  own  prophets,  to  believe  he  is  yet  to  come,  when 
all  these  signs  of  his  coming  are  unequivocally,  and  for- 
ever past,  and  the  whole  accomplished  agreeably  to  the 
express  declaration  of  the  prophets,  in  the  person  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

But  if  we  add  to  the  above,  the  accomplishment  of 
all  those  things  foretold  by  Christ,  concerning  the  final 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  dispersion  of  the  nation, 
and  the  abolition  of  their  sacrifices,  which  were  to  take 
place  among  that  generation,  every  argument  for  a  Mes- 
siah yet  to  come,  must  fall  to  the  ground.  For  Jerusalem 
was  taken,  plundered  and  destroyed  by  the  Romans ;  the 
cities  of  Judah  were  depopulated,  the  whole  nation  was 
dispersed  over  the  earth,  agreeably  to  his  words,  and  all 
their  sacrifices  and  burnt-offerings,  which  only  constitut- 
ed the  Jewish  church  according  to  divine  appointment, 
as  representatives  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  have 
ceased  for  1800  years. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  ZQi 


In  Isaiah  lix.  21.  we  are  told  by  Levi,  and  the  Jew- 
ish writers,  that  the  prophet  proceeds  to  inform  us,  that 
the  covenant  which  God  had  made  with  them,  and  the 
prophecies  delivered  by  the  prophet,  should  never  de- 
part from  them,  so  as  to  become  void,  but  should  surely 
be  accomplished. — "  As  for  me,  this  is  my  covenant  with 
them,  saith  the  Lord  ;  my  Spirit  which  is  upon  thee, 
and  my  words  which  I  have  put  into  thy  mouth  ;  they 
shall  not  depart  from  thy  mouth,  nor  from  the  mouth  of 
thy  seed,  nor  from  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed,  saith 
the  Lord,  from  henceforth  forever."'  "  Thus  we  are 
assured,"  say  these  writers,  "  that  the  law  of  Moses, 
which  is  the  covenant  God  made  with  the  nation,  as 
also  the  prophecies  delivered  by  the  mouth  of  the  proph- 
ets, shall  never  depart  from  the  nation,  but  remain  as 
an  everlasting  witness  of  their  future  restoration." 

Can  any  thing  be  so  preposterously  absurd  as  to  sup- 
pose, that  this  covenant  here  mentioned  by  the  prophet, 
by  the  words,  and  my  words  which  I  have  put  into  thy 
mouth,  is  the  law  of  Moses  ?  the  prophet  is  told  in  ex- 
press words  what  was  the  covenant,  viz.  this  is  my  cove- 
nant, my  Spirit  which  is  upon  thee,  and  my  words,  which  I 
have  put  into  thy  mouth,  For  it  must  be  plain  to  every 
Jew,  that  the  law  of  Moses,  which  comprehended  the 
immediate  communication,  by  the  Urim  and  Thummim, 
departed  from  them  at  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and 
never  was  restored  :  and  what  is  also  evident  proof,  that 
the  covenant,  which  is  said  to  be  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord, 
and.  the  words  he  had  put  into  the  mouth  of  the  prophet,  was 
not  the  law  of  Moses;  the  whole  ceremonial  law  of 
Moses,  containing  the  sacrifices,  has  departed  from  them 
and  their  seed's  seed  forever,  at  their  dispersion.  Do 
the  sons  of  Aaron,  the  priests,  as  it  is  said  they  shal!, 
blow  with  the  trumpets,  which  was  to  be  an  ordinance 
Q  7^?  forever,    throughout  their  generations  ?    Numb. 


284  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS, 


x.  8.  Do  the  sons  of  Levi  stand  to  minister  before  the 
Lord,  as  it  is  expressly  said  they  should.  a^E\"-|  forever? 
Is  it  not  infatuation  in  any  Jew,  to  suppose,  that  he 
can  prove  his  descent  from  the  tribe  of  Levi,  which  was 
carried  away  captive  before  the  captivity  in  Babylon,, 
and  has  never  been  heard  of  since  ? 

It  was  commanded  as  a  statute  to  be  observed  for- 
ever, that  if  a  man  killed  an  ox,  a  lamb,  or  a  goat,  he 
was  to  bring  it  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  con- 
gregation, for  an  offering  to  the  Lord,  when  the  priest 
was  to  sprinkle  the  blood  upon  the  altar  of  the  Lord, 
and  whoever  did  not  do  this  was  to  die.  Lev.  xvii.  7. 
Is  this,  which  was  ordaind  as  a  statute  forever,  now  ob- 
served among  the  Jews  ?  Surely  it  must  be  clear  to  eve- 
ry rational  Jew,  that  all  these- statutes  and  ordinances 
are  passed  away  forever ; — consequently,  the  above 
words  of  this  prophecy  cannot  refer  to  the  future  res- 
toration of  the  Jews,  as  some  of  the  rabbies,  with  Levi, 
sav  the}'  do,  because  the  law  of  Moses  is  not  here  refer- 
red to,  as  the  covenant  which  God  made  with  the  proph- 
et, but  his  Spirit,  and  his  words,  which  he  had  put  into  his 
mouthy  viz.  the  prophecy  given  to  the  prophet,  which  is 
not  the  law  of  Moses. 

If  we  attend  to  the  true  meaning  of  objjS  lc  olam, 
which  is  in  the  translation,  and  also  by  Levi,  translated 
forever,  we  shall  find,  that  in  these  passages,  it  has  no 
such  meaning,  for  this  word  is  used  to  signify  a  hidden, 
or  concealed,  time,  both  indefinite  and  finite,  past  and 
future.  Exod.  xxi.  6.  uD^J?1?  VQjT!  nnd  he  shall  serve 
him  forever,  viz.  until  the  Jubilee,  because  at  the  Jubi- 
lee, he  was  to  be  free  from  servitude.  1  Kings  viii.  13. 
a  settled  place  for  thee  to  abide  in  ED^QvW  forever  ;  but 
which  temple  of  Solomon  was  destroyed  2500  years 
since. — Eccles.  i.  10.  It  hath  been  already  XD^l&yfr  °f 
old  tune.     Hence  the  word  qS*  olarn,  when  applied  to 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  285 

things  of  time,  never  means,  that  they  shall  endure  for- 
ever, but  to  the  end  or  final  duration  of  the  thing  spoken 
of  and  which  here  plainly  means  the  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tion in  all  its  fulness,  with  the  communication  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  by  Urim  and  Thummim.  So  that  we  are 
here  given  plainly  to  understand,  that  the  words  of  God, 
by  the  mouth  of  the  prophet,  and  his  Spirit,  which  was  known 
by  the   communication  by   Urim,  should  not  depart  but 

WITH    THE     END     OF     THAT     DISPENSATION.        ThlS    has    been 

literally  accomplished,  for  the  Shechinah,  or  the  divine 
communication,  has  never  been  visibly  manifested  since 
the  captivity  in  Babylon. 

Levi  and  the  rabbies  inform  us,  that  all  the  nations 
will  come,  "  not  in  pride  and  arrogance,  but  in  a  low, 
humble,  and  submissive  manner,  prostrating  themselves 
to  them,  not  on  account  of  their  great  power,  but  for  the 
sanctity  and  holiness  of  the  divinity,  that  will  then  be  in 
the  midst  of  them,  and  which,"  they  say,  "  is  a  demon- 
strative proof,  that  this  prophecy  was  not  fulfilled  at  their 
return  from  Babylon." — It  would  be  a  pleasant  thing  in- 
deed, not  only  for  the  Jews,  but  also  for  Christians,  to 
see  them  in  this  stale,  that  people  should  "  prostrate 
themselves  before  them,  because  of  their  holiness  and 
sanctity."  But  if  some  Jewish  writers  have  been  so 
weak  and  infatuated  as  to  fancy,  that  they  shall  be  a 
kind  of  demi-gods,  surely  the  more  intelligent  among 
them  must  be  ashamed  to  carry  such  a  badge  of  consum- 
mate vanity.  This  passage  has  no  reference  to  the 
Jews.  In  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter,  the  prophet 
declares,  that  the  dawn  of  this  glorious  state  had  then 
taken  place,  in  the  following  words,  "  arise,  shine,  for 
thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  up- 
on thee."  Now,  if  there  be  any  meaning  in  language, 
these  words  cannot  signify  the  future  restoration  of  the 
Jews,  by  the  coming  of  their  supposed  Messiah,  because 


286  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  light  which  Levi,  and  the  rabbies  suppose  to  mean 
their  restoration,  has  not  risen  upon  them  yet,  though  it 
i*  now  near  3000  years  since  this  prophecy  was  deliver- 
ed. The  obvious  meaning  of  this  prophecy  is,  that 
God  by  the  prophet  made  known  his  will  respecting  the 
Gentile  nations,  that  they  should  be  called  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  true  God.  Ver.  3.  "and  the  Gentiles  shall 
come  to  thy  light."  '  The  accomplishment  of  this  prophecy 
is  before  the  face  of  the  whole  world,  for  the  Gentile 
nations,  those  who  were  worshippers  of  idols,  have  re- 
ceived the  scriptures,  and  have  come  to  the  knowledge 
nf  the  true  God,  while  the  Jews  remain  a  dispersed  peo- 
ple among  all  nations  :  consequently,  they  can  lay  no 
i  laim  to  this  light  rising  upon  them  to  enlighten  the 
Gentile  nations. 

Levi  and  the  rabbies  have  attempted,  and  a  misera- 
ble attempt  it  is,  to  define  the  whole  of  this  chapter 
agreeably  to  their  sensual  passions  and  appetites.  Thus 
they  say,  "the  dromedaries  of  Midian  and  Ephah,  shall 
bring  gold  and  frankincense,  the  flocks  of  Kedar,  and  the 
rams  of  Nabaioth,  shall  be  brought  to  them,  the  sons  of 
the  strangers  are  to  build  up  their  walls" — while  the 
Jews  are  to  be  idle  gentlemen,  and  lookers  on,  blessing 
themselves,  that  they  are  not  sweating  beneath  a  scorch- 
ing sun.  A  miserable  fallacy  !  For  they  have  not  attend- 
ed to  this  circumstance,  viz.  that  if  one  part  of  the 
prophecy  is  to  be  understood  agreeably  to  the  letter, 
every  other  part  of  the  same  prophecy  must  be  under- 
stood literally  also,  which  cannot  be  the  case  in  this 
prophecy,  for  the  19th  verse  says,  "The  sun  shall  be 
no  more  thy  light  by  da}' :  neither  for  brightness  shall 
the  moon  give  light  unto  thee."  Now  if  by  "  the  drom- 
edaries of  Mi  lian  and  Ephah,  the  flocks  of  Kedar,  and 
the  rams  of  Nabaioth,  and  the  sons  of  the  strangers,  who 
are  to  build  up  their  walls/'  we  are  to  understand  that 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  287 

these  things  are  to  be  literally  explained  :  then  by  the 
same  rule,  we  must  necessarily  allow,  that  the  same  lit- 
eral sense  is  to  be  understood  in  every  other  part  of  the 
same  prophecy.  And  then  the  sun  must  no  more  give 
light  to  them  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night;  for  it  is 
absurd  to  tell  us,  that  this  metaphorical  passage  refers  to 
the  prosperity  of  the  Jews,  when  every  other  part  of 
the  prophecy  is  by  them  literally  understood.  Again, 
ver.  20.  it  certainly  does  not  refer  to  the  Jews,  for  a 
very  few  years  after  the  delivery  of  this  prophecy,  their 
sun,  which  they  understand  to  mean  their  national  priv- 
ileges, went  down,  when  they  were  carried  captive,  and 
made  to  bow  the  knee  to  the  idols  of  Babylon.  Neither 
did  their  sun  ever  rise  again,  for  at  the  return  from  the 
captivity,  they  were  governed  by  strangers,  the  Herodi- 
ans  and  Asmoneans.  The  glory  of  the  tirst  temple,  the 
Trim  and  Thummim,  the  Shechinah  and  visible  commu- 
nication never  returned,  and  finally  they  were  dispersed 
over  the  face  of  the  earth.  How  then  can  these  wf iters 
have  confidence  to  tell  the  world,  that  the  words,  thy  sun 
.shall  no  more  go  dozen,  have  reference  to  the  endless 
government  of  the  Jewish  nation. 

But  should  they  continue  to  say,  that  this  has  refer- 
ence to  the  future  happiness  of  the  Jewish  nation,  this 
view  of  the  prophecy  is  altogether  inconsistent  with  the 
express  words  of  the  prophet,  as  above,  for  the  fact 
proves,  that  the  whole  refers  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  the 
true  Messiah,  to  that  light  which  was  to  enlighten  every 
man  :  the  Gentiles  have  come  to  his  light,  and  kings  to  the 
brightness  of  his  rising.  From  which,  it  must  appear,  that 
this  prophecy  has  no  reference  to  the  future  temporal 
state  of  the  Jews,  but  to  the  calling  of  the  Gentile  na- 
tions to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God. 

But  "  Strangers,*''  they  say,  "  are  to  stand  up  and  feed 
heir  flocks,  the  sons  of  the  alien  are  to  be  their  vine-dres- 


288  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


scrs"  while  they  are  to  be  called  the  priests  of  the 
Lord — that  they  "  are  not  to  be  engaged  in  such  servile 
offices,  but  in  the  mediation  of  the  law  of  God,  and  in  his'' 
service  as  priests,  and  being  thus  at  leisure,  they  are  to 
eat  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles.'"  Surely  this  is  too  absurd 
for  remark  :  the  thinking  and  rational  Jew  must  be  asham- 
ed of  it.  If  these  infatuated  writers  had  recollected, 
that  in  Great  Britain,  which  is  twice  as  large  as  the  land 
of  Canaan,  there  are  but  a  few  thousands  of  priests,  and 
it  is  found  they  are  too  numerous,  though  the  flock  is 
live  times  as  large  as  the  whole  population  of  the  Jews 
in  all  the  world,  what  then  is  to  become  of  a  whole  na- 
tion, of  millions  of  priests,  who  are  to  have  nothing  to  do 
but  to  play  at  religion,  and  priest  preach  to  priest  ?  If 
on  the  other  hand,  they  suppose,  that  the  country  is  to 
be  stocked  with  laborious  foreigners,  and  that  every 
priest  is  to  have  a  congregation,  what  must  be  the  ex- 
tent of  country  capable  of  holding  a  population  to  em- 
ploy such  a  numerous  conclave  ?  the  whole  earth  would 
not  be  large  enough.  For  if  to  each  priest  were  allot- 
ted 500  persons,  as  a  congregation,  and  the  number  of 
priests  were  estimated  at  two  millions  only,  then  these 
would  be  sufficient  for  one  thousand  millions  of  people, 
being  far  more  than  the  population  of  the  whole  world. 
Alas,  ye  rabbies,  how  have  ye  for  ages  mistaken  the  ob- 
vious meaning  of  the  sacred  scriptures  !  how  long  will 
ye  continue  to  blow  up  the  ignorant  among  you  with 
vanity  ? — with  the  vain  hope  of  being  the  lords  of  the  cre- 
ation, trees  of  the  Lord's  planting,  while  your  views  go 
no  farther  than  the  gratification  of  the  sensual  appetite, 
to  have  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles,  the  gold  and  frankin- 
cense of  Midian  and  Ephah,  the  flocks  of  Kedar,  and  the 
rams  of  Nabaioth, — to  be  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen, 
and  to  fare  sumptuously  every  day  :  while  all  the  world,  as 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  289 


you  say,  are  to  come  "  bending  and  bowing  themselves 
down  at  the  soles  of  your  feet." 

Levi  thus  concludes  this  dissertation,  by  saying — 
"  from  the  explanation  here  given  of  this  prophecy,  the. 
following  principles  are  obvious  :"  "  1st,  God  will  take 
vengeance  on  the  different  nations  ;  2d,  all  the  tribes  of 
the  nation  will  be  gathered  together ;  3d,  the  different 
nations  of  the  earth  will  be  subject  to  Israel — now  a^ 
none  of  these  important  events  took  place  at  their  re- 
turn from  Babylon  ;  as  is  clear  from  all  history  both  sa- 
cred and  profane  ;  and  as  it  is  clear,  that  they  were  not 
accomplished  at  the  time,  nor  in  the  person  of  Jesus,  it 
is  manifest  that  he  could  not  be  the  Messiah,  and  that 
these  great  and  glorious  promises  remain  yet  to  be  ful- 
filled in  the  latter  times,  when  the  true  Messiah  will 
come  to  redeem  the  nation. " — This  writer  has  very  ju- 
diciously said,  "  from  the  explanation  here  given  of  this 
prophecy,  the  following  principles  are  obvious." — But 
as  it  is  proved  above,  agreeably  to  the  original,  the  obvi- 
ous meaning  of  the  words  of  the  prophet,  that  no  such 
events  were  to  take  place  at  the  return  from  the  Bab}r- 
lonish  captivity,  and  as  the  fact  is  proved  in  profane  his- 
tory, even  in  the  histories  of  all  nations,  that  when  Christ 
came,  the  Gentile  nations  were  called  from  idolatry  to 
the  worship  of  the  true  God,  that  even  Asia,  Africa  and 
Europe,  received  the  gospel,  agreeabty  to  the  express 
words  of  the  prophet  in  the  third  verse,  viz.  "  And  the 
Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings  to  the  bright- 
ness of  thy  rising ;"'  it  is  incontrovertible  evidence,  that 
this  prophecy  was  accomplished  in  the  person  of  the 
true  Messiah,  the  Redeemer  of  man,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  the  Jews  have  no  foundation  whereon  to 
rest  their  hopes,  that  the  Messiah  is  yet  to  come. 

Having  shown,  agreeably  to  the  express  declarations 
of  the  prophets,  in  conformity  with  the  circumstances 
25 


m  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


and  things  which  were  to  precede  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah, the  accomplishment  of  which  having  taken  place,  is 
confirming  proof  that  he  is  come,  I  shall  now  refer  the 
learned  Jews  to  the  writers  of  their  Targums,  in  order 
to  show,  that  these  eminent  commentators  applied  differ- 
ent texts  of  scripture  to  the  Messiah,  as  the  Christians  do. 


THE    TARGUMS 

Are  commentaries  made  from  the  Hebrew  text  into 
the  Chaldee  language,  and  are  on  that  account  called 
Chaldee  paraphrases. 

There  are  two  which  are  received  by  the  Jews,  with 
almost  equal  veneration  with  the  text^  viz.  the  Targurn 
of  Onkelos  on  the  law,  and  that  of  Jonathan  on  the  proph- 
ets. The  Targum  of  Onkelos  on  the  law,  and  the  Tar- 
gum  of  Jonathan  on  the  prophets,  are  received  by  the 
Jews  as  more  ancient  than  the  time  of  Christ,  and  this  is 
also  the  opinion  of  all  Christian  writers.  They  are 
written  in  the  Jerusalem  Chaldee  dialect,  which  was  the 
national  language  of  the  Jewish  nation  at  the  time  of 
Christ.  In  these  Targums,  we  find,  that  the  passages  in 
the  Old  Testament  are  interpreted  in  the  same  manner 
as  Christians  interpret  them  respecting  the  Messiah^ 
which  is  additional  proof  that  the  Messiah  is  come. 

Gen.  xlix.  10.  u  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Ju- 
dah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet^  until  Shiloh 
come."  This  has  been  understood  by  Christians  in  all 
ages  to  mean  the  Messiah,  and  therefore  as  the  Jewish 
state  and  government  have  passed  away,  as  the  sceptre 
and  lawgiver  have  departed  1800  years  since  ;  the  true 
Messiah,  according  to  the  obvious  meaning  of  this  proph- 
ecy, must  long  ago  have  come,  even  prior  to  the  disper- 
sion of  that  people.     For  this  long  period,  there  has  not 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.     291 

been  any  regal  power  in  Judah,  no  king,  no  prince,  no 
governor,  ruling  over  them  with  the  emblem  of  power, 
the  sceptre  ;  no  lawgiver,  no  judicial  authority,  has  been 
known  among  them  since  the  coming  of  Christ.  They 
have  for  these  eighteen  hundred  years  been  governed 
where  they  have  been  driven,  by  foreign  monarchs^ 
even  to  the  most  remote  corners  of  the  earth. 

Some  of  the  more  modern  rabbies,  having  been  sen- 
sible of  the  force  of  this  in  aid  of  the  Christian  cause, 
have  attempted  to  show  that  the  word  Mfc^  Shcbct, 
which  is  rendered  to  mean  a  sceptre,  the  emblem  of  au- 
thority, may  also  be  translated  to  mean  a  rod,  to  signify 
punishment,  and  thus  that  their  present  punishment, 
among  the  different  nations,  shall  not  depart  from  them 
until  the  true  Messiah  comes  to  take  them  to  their  own 
land :  where  they  are  to  enjoy  uninterrupted  rule  over 
all  nations.  But  this  does  not  agree  with  Onkelos,  for 
his  translation  runs  thus, — "  There  shall  not  be  taken  ainay 
from  Judah  one  having  the  principality,  nor  the  scribe 
from  the  sons  of  his  children,  till  the  Messiah  shall  come?' 
This  is  plain  proof,  that  in  his  time  the  word  ftS^  She- 
bet,  was  understood  to  mean,  the  principality,  or  govern- 
ment, should  not  depart  from  the  Jewish  nation  until 
Messiah  came.  And  this  is  also  in  perfect  agreement 
with  the  Jerusalem  Targum,  and  with  Jonathan's,  for 
they  translated  the  word  Shebet,  to  mean  the  principal- 
ity, and  the  word  ft^gf  Shiloh,  the  Messiah  ;  from 
which  it  must  be  evident,  that  the  testimonies  of  these 
ancient  authorities  most  effectually  refute  the  arguments 
of  the  modern  Jews,  as  to  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 

Numbers  xxiv.  17.  "There  shall  come  a  star  out 
of  Jncob,  and  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel."  Onke- 
los, as  well  as  Christians,  interprets  this  to  mean  the 
Messiah.  The  Targum  of  Jonathan  gives  the  same  ap- 
plication.    Maimonides  ajso  says,  that  "  this  was  not  to 


292  KrSTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


be  a  kingdom  for  the  Jews  only,  but  that  it  was  to  be  an 
universal  kingdom  for  all  men."  See  Melakin.  cap.  11. 
sec.   1. 

Micah  v.  2.  "  But  thou,  Bethlehem  Ephratah, 
though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet 
out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be 
ruler  in  Israel." — Many  of  the  Jewish  writers  having  seen 
how  this  was  accomplished  in  the  person  of  Christ,  that 
he  came  out  of  Bethlehem,  knowing  also,  that  it  was  an- 
ciently understood,  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  born  in 
ihat  place,  which  is  now  no  more  (of  which  above)  have 
laboured  to  give  this  passage  a  different  application. 
Some  have  applied  it  to  Hezekiah,  some  to  Zerubbabel 
who  led  them  from  the  captivity  in  Babylon.  But  the 
Targum  of  Jonathan  asserts  it  to  mean  the  Messiah,  as 
Christians  do.  The  translation  is,  "  out  of  thee  shall 
come  forth  before  me  the  Messiah,  who  shall  exercise 
sovereign  rule  over  Israel.'''' 

Psalm  ii.  2.  "  The  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves, 
and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together  against  the  Lord,  and 
against  his  Anointed."  All  Christians  have  understood 
this  to  refer  to  the  Messiah  :  and  that  it  was  accomplish- 
ed in  Christ.  In  the  same  manner,  the  apostles  under- 
stood, that  it  meant  the  Messiah.  Acts  iv.  25 — 27.  xiii. 
33.  Ileb.  i.  But  since  the  time  of  the  apostles,  the 
•Jews  have  endeavoured  to  overturn  this  view,  by  assert- 
ing, contrary  to  the  ancient  Jews,  before  and  at  the  time 
of  Christ,  that  it  applied  to  David  ;  however,  the  Tar- 
gum interprets  this  Psalm,  verse  2d,  to  mean  the  Messiah. 

Great  stress  is  laid  by  Jewish  writers  of  modern  date 
concerning  the  words  ^qjj,  my  people  ;  *flpj},  thy  people  ; 
Ijpy*?,  his  people  ;  which  they  presumptuously  apply  to 
themselves,  and  thus  they  have  vainly  supposed,  that 
they  are  the  people  of  God  j  some  Christian  writers 
.have  been  weak  enough  to  fall  into  this  error.     But  if 


HIS  TORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  293 


we  attend  to  the  history,  we  shall  find,  that  the  Jews 
cannot  lay  any  claim  to  the  high-sounding  title  of,  people 
of  God.  For  though  they  had  the  most  astonishing  dis- 
play of  the  divine  goodness  in  their  favour,  when  they 
were  brought  out  of  Egypt,  and  had  seen  those  things, 
which,  had  they  been  done  to  the  idolatrous  nations, 
they  would  have  worshipped  no  other  god  than  the  God 
of  heaven  ;  yet  in  six  weeks,  they  solemnly  bowed  them- 
selves before  the  golden  calf,  saying,  these  are  thy  gods, 
O  Israel,  which  brought  thee  out  of  Egypt.  If  we  pur- 
sue them  through  the  history,  we  find,  immediately 
after  the  death  of  Joshua,  that  they  forsook  the  worship 
of  God,  and  served  the  idols,  "  Baalim  Baal,  and  Ashte- 
roth,  and  the  gods  of  Syria,  and  the  gods  of  Zidon,  and 
the  gods  of  Moab,  and  the  gods  of  the  children  of  Am- 
nion, and  the  gods  of  the  Philistines."  In  the  time  of 
their  kings,  the  sacred  historian  has  given  an  impartial 
account  of  their  idolatries,  and  notwithstanding  the 
prophets  were  sent  to  reclaim  them,  and  the  pious  ex- 
ample of  many  who  feared  God  among  them,  the  great 
majority  of  the  nation  frequently  abolished  the  worship 
of  God,  and  established  idolatrous  worship. 

Jeremiah  complains  of  their  ingratitude  to  God,  and 
transmitted  to  posterity  a  list  of  this  shameful  abomina- 
tion. Ch.  xi.  6,  7,  8,  10,  13.  "  Then  the  Lord  said 
unto  me,  proclaim  all  these  words  in  the  cities  of  Judah, 
and  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  saying,  hear  ye  the 
words  of  this  covenant,  and  do  them.  For  I  earnestly 
protested  unto  your  fathers,  in  the  day  that  I  brought 
them  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  even  unto  this  day, 
saying,  obey  my  voice.  Yet  they  obeyed  not,  nor  in- 
clined their  ear,  l>ut  walked  every  one  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  their  evil  heart.  They  are  turned  back  to  the 
iniquities  of  their  forefathers.  For,  according  to  the 
number  of  thy  cities,  were  thy  gods,  O  Judah :  and  ac- 
25* 


.: m  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

cording  to  the  number  of  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  have 
ye  set  up  altars  to  that  shameful  thing,  even  altars  to 
burn  incense  unto  Baal/'  Surely  if  any  Jew  seriously 
considers  the  transactions  of  his  progenitors  as  a  nation, 
he  will  not  conclude,  that  they  were  the  only  people  of 
God.  There  was  always  a  distinction  made  between 
those  Jews  who  were  the  people  of  God,  and  those  who 
were  not.  A  covenant  was  made,  which  was  of  course 
conditional,  and  whoever  fulfilled  the  conditions  of  that 
covenant,  were  called  the  people  of  God,  and  those  who 
did  net  were  cursed.  Jer.  xi.  2 — 4.  "  Hear  ye  the 
words  of  this  covenant,  and  speak  unto  the  men  of  Ju- 
dah,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  And  say  thou 
unto  them,  thus  saith  the  Lord  God -of  Israel,  cursed  be 
the  man  that  obeyeth  not  the  words  of  this  covenant, 
which  I  commanded  your  fathers  in  the  day  that  I 
brought  them  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the 
iron  furnace,  saying,  obey  my  voice,  and  do  them,  accor- 
ding to  all  which  I  command  you  ;  so  shall  ye  be  my  peo- 
ple, and  I  will  be  your  God." 

In  order  to  show,  that  they  were  never,  as  a  nation, 
considered  as  the  only  people  of  God,  any  more  than 
other  nations,  who  worshipped  God,  were  the  people  of 
God  ;  we  will  turn  to  Hosea  ii.  23.  "  and  I  will  have  mer- 
cy upon  her  that  had  not  obtained  mercy,  and  I  will  say 
to  them  which  were  not  my  people,  thou  art  my  people  : 
and  the}'  shall  say,  thou  art  my  God."  If  the  Jews  ap- 
ply these  words  to  themselves  as  a  nation,  then  they 
must  allow,  that  there  was  a  time  when  they  were  not 
the  people  of  God,  viz.  "  and  I  will  say  unto  them  which 
were  not  my  people,  thou  art  my  people."  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  be  not  willing  to  grant  this,  they  are 
under  the  necessity  of  allowing,  that  nations  who  were 
not  the  people  of  God,  were  to  be  the  people  of  God,  viz. 
1,5  and  I  will  say  unto  them  which  were  not  my  people. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  295 


thou  art  my  people,  and  they  shall  say,  thou  art  my  God.r 
Now  as  this  was  not  accomplished  during-  the  time  of  the 
kings  of  Israel,  they  having  not  converted  the  idolatrous 
nations  to  the  worship  of  God  ;  nor  after  the  return  from 
the  Babylonish  captivit}' :  and  as  the  nations  of  Asia  and 
Africa  were  converted  to  the  Christian  faith,  and  since 
that  period  the  nations  of  Europe,  who  were  idolators, 
have  also  received  the  gospel,  and  have  thus  become  the 
people  of  God  ;  the  words  of  the  prophet  are  now  accom- 
plished. Therefore,  as  all  these  things,  foretold  by  the 
prophet,  were  accomplished  at  the  coming  of  Christ,  it 
must  be  admitted  as  indubitable  proof,  that  He  to  whom 
all  the  prophets  gave  testimony,  was  the  true  Messiah 
who  was  to  come  :  the  Serpent-Bruiser  of  Moses,  the 
Shiloh  of  Jacob,  the  Root  of  Jesse,  the  Lord  of  David, 
the  Immanuel  of  Isaiah,  and  the  Saviour  of  men. 

Now,  if  in  contradiction  to  all  this  mighty  mass  of 
evidence,  the  Jews  can  ever  contend,  that  the  Messiah 
is  yet  to  come,  they  must  be  left  to  the  enjoyment  of  their 
visionary  notions.  All  those  circumstances  and  things, 
which  were  to  take  place  at  the  coming  of  the  true  Mes- 
siah, have  been  literal!}'  accomplished,  without  the  pos- 
sibility of  ever  returning,  to  afford  a  pretence  for  a  Mes- 
siah to  come ;  they  have  been  carried  on  the  wings  of 
time,  to  the  house  of  eternity,  where  they  are  registered 
as  awful  proofs,  that  the  Hebrews,  ever  since  the  time  of 
Christ,  have  rejected  the  incontrovertible  evidence  of 
their  own  prophets,  that  THE  MESSIAH  IS  COME. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  NUMBERS. 

It  may  be  proper  to  inform  the  reader,  that  the  He- 
brew letters  signify  also  numbers  ;  and  I  have  found,  that 
much  knowledge  may  be  obtained  from  the  Hebrew  Bi- 


29ff  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


ble,  if  this  be  attended  to.  Whatever  the  divine  wisdom 
might  think  proper  to  convey  in  this  singularly  compre- 
hensive language-table,  which  was  well  understood  by 
the  ancient  Hebrews,  is,  no  doubt,  left  for  our  investiga- 
tion. It  appears  from  scripture,  that  these  ancient  peo- 
ple were  well  acquainted  with  the  natures  and  properties 
of  the  animal,  mineral  and  vegetable  kingdoms,  which, 
we  are  told,  they  learnt  from  their  most  sacred  writings. 
Adam,  Tubal  Cain,  Noah,  Moses  and  the  prophets,  were 
scientific  and  learned  men,  and  the  greatest  masters  of 
natural  philosophy,  that  ever  appeared  on  earth.  But 
as  subjects  of  this  nature  are  foreign  to  this  work,  I  shall 
confine  myself  to  those  things  which  are  connected 
therewith. 

It  has  frequently  appeared  to  me,  when  reading  the 
original  scriptures,  that  something  more  was  comprehend- 
ed in  the  Hebrew  names,  than  we  had  hitherto  under- 
stood :  and  it  is  evident,  that  there  is  still  something  un- 
discovered, as  to  this  particular,  of  which  we  have  been 
ignorant,  on  account  of  that  inattention  to  the  elements  of 
the  Hebrew  language,  which  has  been  too  prevalent 
among  the  Jews,  as  well  as  among  the  learned,  and  which 
future  time  may  develope.  I  shall  here  introduce  a  sin- 
gular coincidence,  as  to  the  numbers  contained  in  the  He- 
brew names  of  men,  at  the  establishment  of  every  dispen- 
sation, by  which  the  intelligent  reader  may  see,  that 
something  more  is  comprehended  in  the  original  lan- 
guage, than  has  been  generally  believed  for  the  last 
1800  years. 


THE  FIRST  DISPENSATION. 

From  Adam  to  Cain,  Abel  and  Seth,  when  the  first  dispensa- 
tion was  established,  the  numbers  of  the  four  names  are, 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  297 


OHN.  Adam,    -------  45 

pp,  Cain, 160 

Sdj-I,  Abel, 37 

HE?,  Seth, 700 


942 


THE  SECOND  DISPENSATION. 

From  jXoah  to  Shem,  Ham  and  Japhet,  when  the  second 
dispensation  was  established,  the  numbers  of  the  four 
names  are, 

n\3,   Noah, 64 

Otp,  Shem, 340 

E3n,   Ham, 48 

nsi,  Japhet, 490 

942 


It  is  also  a  singular  circumstance,  that  the  two  Ante- 
diluvians, Adam  and  Noah,  who  received  the  first  two 
dispensations,  are  said  to  have  lived  to  a  similar  age. 
Adam,  who  received  the  first  dispensation,  is  recorded  to 
have  lived  to  the  10th  century  after  his  creation,  and 
Noah,  who  received  the  second  dispensation,  is  said  to 
have  lived  to  the  10th  century  after  he  was  born. 

THE  THIRD  DISPENSATION. 

From  Abraham,  the  father  and  founder  of  the  Hebrew 
nation,  to  the  third  dispensation  given  to  Moses,  the 
numbers  of  the  names  are, 

DITCH    Abraham, 248 

pm\  ^aac, 208 


298 HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

3pR\  Jacob, 182 

VlS    Levi, ^     -'      37 

rnp    Koath, 505 

ElVy,  Amram, 350 


1530 


THE  FOURTH  DISPENSATION. 

From  the  80th  year  of  Moses,  when  he  led  the  Israelites 
out  of  Egypt,  to  Christ,  who  gave  the  last  and  final 
dispensation,  and  prophetic  numbers  ceased  : 

From  Moses  to  Eli,  including  1 2  years'  government  of  the 
Elders,  who  succeeded  Joshua. — 

Joshua,  xxiv.  31.--------  408 

Samuel  and  Saul,     --------  40 

From  David  to  Zedekiah,       -----  476 

Captivity, 70 

Return  from  captivity,  B.  C.  -    -     -     -    -  536 

1530 


It  is  also  worthy  of  notice,  that  if  the  numbers  of  the 
names  of  the  descendants  of  Abraham  viz.  Isaac,  Jacob, 
Levi,  Koath,  Amram,  1292,  be  divided  by  the  number  of 
lineal  descendants  of  Jacob,  viz.  Levi,  Koath,  Amram,  the 
beginning  of  the  fourth  generation,  they  will  give  the 
number  of  years  they  were  to  be  sojourners,  viz.  430 
years.  Agreeably  to  Gen.  xv.  13.  u  know  of  a  surety 
thy  seed  shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  that  is  not  their's, 
and  shall  serve  them,  and  they  shall  afflict  them  four 
hundred  years :"  but  which  was  in  reality  430  years. 

The  prophets  were  also  instructed  by  the  doctrine 
of  numbers,  concerning  the  states  of  the  church  and  peg* 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  293 

pie,  which  numbers  had  a  recondite  meaning-.  .For  all 
names  and  terms  in  the  Hebrew  language,  comprehend 
the  state,  and  express  the  quality,  as  well  as  point  out 
the  subject  or  thing  mentioned.  This  will  appear  to  the 
intelligent  reader  from  the  following  passages,  where 
the  number  forty  is  introduced,  which,  while  it  shows 
the  time,  or  number  of  the  things  spoken  of,  has  a  plain 
reference  in  the  body  of  the  narrative  to  the  subject  in 
question.  In  a  state  of  trial,  temptation,  suffering  and 
uncertainty  ;  which  shows  the  beauty,  originality,  com- 
prehensiveness and  singularity  of  the  original  Hebrew. 

Thus  we  find,  that  the  number  666,  as  above,  was 
u^ed  by  the  apostle,  and  also  a  pointed  reference  to  fu- 
ture things  by  the  words,  a  time,  times,  and  half  a  time. 
The  same  is  applied  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  to  signify  a 
stitc  of  things  to  come.  Ezekiel  was  directed  to  rep- 
resent the.  iniquity  of  the  house  of  Israel  by  the  number 
three  hundred  and  ninety  ;  and  the  iniquity  of  the  house 
of  Judah  by  the  number  forty.  A  similar  state  of  things, 
I  say,  we  find  signified  in  the  scriptures  wherever  the 
same  number  occurs ;  viz.  to  rain  forty  days  and  forty 
nights — if  there  shall  be  forty  found — Moses  was  forty 
years  in  Egypt,  forty  years  he  fled  from  the  face  of  Pha- 
raoh, forty  years  he  led  the  Hebrews  in  the  wilderness — 
was  in  the  mount  forty  days  and  forty  nights — the  spies 
searched  the  land  forty  days — forty  stripes — presented 
himself  forty  days — forty  days  and  Nineveh  shall  be  de- 
stroyed— when  he  had  fasted  forty  days — being  seen  of 
them  forty  days — 

Went  up  by  seven  steps — seven  days  shalt  thou  pre- 
pare— shalt  purify  seven  days — shall  reckon  to  him  seven 
days — feast  of  seven  days — seven  priests  shall  bear  before 
the  ark  seven  trumpets — seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams — 
seven  trumpets — compassed  the  city  seven  times — bullock 
of  sev en  years  old— wept  before  him  the  seven  days — 


300  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


seven  times  pass  over  him — raise  against  him  seven  shep- 
herds— seven  spirits  which  are  before  his  throne — 
mystery  of  the  seven  stars — seven  lamps  of  fire  burning 
before  the  throne,  which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God — 
shall  be  seven  eyes — seven  lamps — seven  pipes — seven 
heads — seven  thunders  uttered  their  voices. 

Rested  on  the  seventh  day — seventh  day  is  the  sab- 
bath— seventh  day  he  shall  go  out — the  seventh  day  he 
called — look  on  him  again  the  seventh  day — on  the  sev- 
enth day  the  priest  shall  look — but  it  shall  be  on  the 
seventh  dny — the  priest  shall  come  again  the  seventh 
day — in  the  seventh  month — after  the  seventh  sabbath — 
seventh  year  shall  be  a  sabbath — purify  yourselves  on 
the  seventh  day — seventh  day  j'e  shall  compass  the  city — 
and  the  seventh  lot  came  out — and  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
seventh  day — and  it  came  to  pass  at  the  seventh  hour — 
and  the  fast  of  the  seventh — Enoch  the  seventh  from  Ad- 
am— had  opened  the  seventh  seal — the  seventh  angel 
sounded. — 

The  Cherubim  had  four  faces — -four  wings — -four 
winds  of  the  heaven  blew — and  four  great  beasts  came 
up — four  wings  of  a  fowl — the  beast  had  four  heads — 
the  great  beast  which  are  four — are  four  kings — the 
great  horn  was  broken  and  there  came  up  four  notable 
ones,  toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven — four  stood  up 
for  it,  four  kingdoms  shall  stand  up — -four  carpenters — 
four  chariots,  with  horses  of  four  colors — which  were 
four  spirits — the  altar  four  cubits,  and  upwards — four 
horns — 

He  shall  purify  himself  with  it  on  the  third  day — 
shall  sprinkle  upon  the  unclean  on  the  third  day — 
called  Samuel  the  third  time — and  he  said,  do  it  the  third 
time — in  the  third  day  he  will  raise  us  up — he  went  out 
about  the  third  hour,  and  prayed  the  third  time — it  was 
the  third  hour — come  in  the  third  watch — the  third  day 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  30i 


I  shall  be  perfected — and  he  said  to  them  the  third 
time — the  third  time  that  Jesus  showed  himself  to  his 
disciples,  after  that  he  was  risen  from  the  dead — and  the 
third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood — and  a  third  part  of 
the  creatures  which  were  in  the  sea  died — and  the  third 
part  of  the  ships  were  destroyed — and  the  third  part  of 
the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and 
the  third  part  of  the  stars,  so  as  the  third  part  of  them 
was  darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not  for  the  third  part 
of  it — to  slay  the  third  part  of  men — by  these  was  the 
third  part  of  men  killed. 

Two  cherubims — two  onyx  stones — two  lambs  of  the 
first  year — too  young  pigeons — unclean  too  weeks — 
two  turtles — two  birds  alive — two  he  lambs — two  kids 
of  the  goats  for  a  sin  offering — two  wove  loaves — two 
tenth  deals — two  rams — two  rows — two  waggons — too 
trumpets — too  young  bullocks — two  lions — too  calves — 
too  baskets  of  figs — too  olive  trees — two  women  grind- 
ing— two  men  in  the  field — two  woes — too  witnesses — 
too  candlesticks — too  wings  of  a  great  eagle — two  horns 
like  a  lamb. 

One  tree — one  heart — one  shepherd — one  stick — one 
Lord — his  name  one — one  God — one  Father,  God — one 
fold — one  hour — one  pearl. 

But  as  it  is  not  my  intention  to  enter  into  an  explana- 
tion of  scriptural  numbers  in  this  work,  the  foregoing 
are  introduced  to  show,  that  numbers  have  a  secret  and 
significant  meaning  in  scripture,  and  were  well  under- 
stood by  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  holy  men  of  old. 
though  they  may  be  disregarded  by  Deists  in  the  pres- 
ent day.  Thpy  contain  great  information  applicable  to 
all  states,  times  and  things,  past,  present  and  future  i 
and  well  deser.ve  the  serious  attention  of  all  people. 
26 


302 


Names  of  the  Books  of  the   Bible,  ivith  their 
meanings  according  to  the  Hebrew. 


Names. 


Meanings. 


Genesis, 

In  the  beginning. 

Exodus, 

J\  ames. 

Leviticus, 

And  he  called. 

Numbers, 

In  the  wilderness. 

Deuteronomy, 
Joshua^ 

Words. 

The  Lord  delivcretk. 

Judges, 
Ruth, 

Judges. 
To  tremble. 

Samuel, 

God  hcareth. 

Kings, 
Chronicles, 

Kings. 

Words  of  the  days. 

Ezra, 
Nehemiah, 

A  helper. 

The  comfort  of  the  Lord. 

Esther, 

I  will  hide. 

Job, 

To  exclaim,  to  sigh. 

Psalms, 

Praises. 

Proverbs, 
Ecclesiastes, 

Comparisons. 
Collector. 

Isaiah, 

The  salvation  of  the  Lord. 

Jeremiah, 

Exalt  the  Lord. 

Ezekiel, 

The  Lord  will  strengthen. 

Daniel, 
Hosea, 

God  my  Judge. 
Turneth  away. 

Joel, 

The  will  of  God. 

Amos, 

A  burden. 

Obadiah, 

Servant  of  the  Lord. 

Jonah, 

A  dove. 

Micah, 

Humble. 

Nahum, 
Habakkuk, 

Repentance,  Consolation, 
To  embrace. 

&ephaniah, 

The  Secret  of  the  Lord. 

Haggai, 
Zachariah^ 

My  festival. 

The  Lord  remembered. 

Malachi, 

My  angel. 

303 


Names  of  the  Patriarchs  and  their  meanings 
according  to  the  Hebrew, 


Names. 

Meanings. 

Adam, 

Man. 

Cain, 

To  possess. 

Abel, 

To  bring. 

Seth, 

To  settle. 

Enos, 

Frail  state. 

Cainan, 

To  mourn. 

Mahalaleel, 

To  depart. 

Jared, 

To  descend. 

Enoch, 

To  dedicate. 

Methuselah, 

Sent  forth  death. 

Lamech, 

To  fall  away. 

Noah, 

Rest. 

Shem, 

Name,  to  put  in  order. 

Arphaxad, 

To  pour  forth  the  light. 

Salah, 

To  send  forth. 

Eber, 

To  pass  over. 

Peleg, 

To  deride. 

Reu, 

To  break  the  established  order 

Serug, 

To  wrap  together. 

Nahor, 

To  vex. 

Terah, 

Breath,  Spirit. 

Abraham, 

The  dignified  father. 

Isaac, 

Laughter. 

Jacob, 

Supplanter. 

Reuben, 

See  a  son. 

Simeon, 

To  hearken. 

Levi, 

To  join. 

Judah, 

Praise. 

Zebulun, 

A  dwelling  place. 

Ipsachar, 

To  satisfy,  or  reward. 

Dan, 

To  judge. 

Gad, 

To  penetrate,  a  troop  which 

penetrates,  i.  e.  the  penetrotor 

Ashur, 

To  bless. 

304 


Naphtaii, 

Joseph, 

Benjamin. 

Koath, 

\mram, 

To  wrestle. 

To  add. 

Son  of  the  right  hand. 

To  congregate. 

A  high  people. 

» 

rames  of 

the  Judges  and  their   meanings 

according  to  the  Hebrew. 

Names. 

Meanings. 

Moses. 
Joshua, 

To  draw  forth. 
To  deliver. 

Othniel, 

God^s  time. 

Ehud, 

I  will  thrust. 

Deborah, 

The  word. 

Barak, 
Gideon, 

Lightning. 
Cut  down. 

Abimelek. 
Thala, 
J  air, 

My  father  the  King. 
To  break  in  pieces. 
He  causeth  light. 

Jephtha, 
Ibsan, 

He  will  unbind. 
Father  of  the  shield. 

Elon, 

The  interposer. 

Abdon, 

Servant. 

Sampson. 
Eli, 

The  minister. 

He  hath  elevated  me. 

Samuel. 

God  ordained  him. 

Names  of  the  Kings  of  the  Hebrews  and  their 
meanings  according  to  the  Hebrew. 

J  ID  AH. 


Names, 

Saul, 
David. 


Meanings. 

Asked. 
The  beloved 


305 


Solomon, 

Rehoboam, 

Abijam, 

Asa, 

Jehoshaphat, 

Jehoram, 

Ahaziah, 

Athaliah, 

Jehoash, 

Amaziah, 

Azariah, 

Jotham, 

Ahaz, 

Hezekiah, 

Manasseh, 

Amon, 

Josiah, 

Jehoahaz, 

Jehoiachin, 

Zedekiah, 


Peace. 

Spreading  out  of  the  peopb 

The  father  of  the  sea. 

The  Healer. 

The  Lord  judgeth. 

The  Lord,  on  high. 

The  Lord  seized  him. 

Time  of  the  Lord. 

Fire  of  the  Lord. 

The  strength  of  the  Lord 

The  help  of  the  Lord. 

The  Lord  is  perfect. 

To  seize. 

Strength  of  the  Lord. 

To  forget. 

Truth. 

The  Lord  turneth  away. 

The  Lord  seizeth. 

The  Lord  establish. 

The  Lord  is  righteous. 


Israel. 


JVames. 


Meanings. 


Jeroboam, 

Strife  of  the  people. 

Nadab, 

Beautiful. 

Baasha, 

The  consumer. 

Elah, 

The  oak. 

Zimri, 

My  song. 

Omri, 

My  oppressor. 

Ahab, 

Brother  and  father. 

Ahaziah, 

The  Lord  seizeth. 

Joram, 

The  Lord  on  high. 

Jehu, 

His  Lord. 

Jehoahaz, 

The  Lord  seizeth. 

Joash, 

Fire  of  the  Lord. 

Jeroboam, 

Strife  of  the  people. 

26* 

•  k)t> 


Zachariah. 

The  Lord  remembereth 

Shallum, 

Peace. 

Menahem, 

Consolation. 

Pekaiah, 

The  Lord  openeth. 

Pekah, 

Openeth. 

Hosen, 

The  Lord  savcth. 

A  Collection  of  the  Names  and  Titles  given 
to  Jesus  Christ. 

Adam,  1  Cor.  xv.  45.  Bread  of  Life,  John  vi.   43 

Advocate,  1  John  ii.  1.  — 51. 

Amen,  Rev.  iii.  14.  Bridegroom,  Matt.  ix.  15. 

Angel,  Isa.  lxiii.  9.  Mai.  iii.  1.  Bright  Morning  Star,  Rev. 

Ancient  of  Days,  Dan.  vii.  22.       xxii.  16. 

Anointed,  Psal.  ii.  2. — xlv.  7.  Brightness  of  Father's  Glo- 

Apostle,  Heb.  iii.  1.  ry,  Heb.  i.  3. 

Apple-tree,  Cant.  ii.  3.  Bundle  of  Myrrh,  Cant.  i.  13. 

Author  and  Finisher  of  faith,  Camphire,  Cant.  i.  14. 

Heb.  xii.  2.  Captain,  Josh.  v.    14.   Heb. 

Babe,  Luke  ii.  16.  ii.  10. 

Beginning    of    Creation    of  Child,  Isa.  ix.  6. 

God,  Rev.  iii.  14.  Chosen,  Matt.  xii.  18.  Luke 

Begotten    of    the     Father,       xxiii.  35. 

John  i.  14.  Christ,  Matt.  i.  16.     ii.  4. 

Beloved,  Cant.  i.  13. — Eph.  Consolation  of  Israel,  Luke 

i.  6.  ii.  15. 

Bishop,  1  Pet.  v.  25.  Corner  Stone,   Eph.  ii.  20. 

Blessed,  1  Tim.  vi.  15.  1  Pet.  ii.  6. 

Branch    of    Righteousness,  Covenant,  Isa.  xlii.  6- 

Zech.  iii.  8.  Counsellor,  Isa.  ix.  Q. 

Brazen  Serpent,  John  iii.  14.  Covert,  Isa.  xxxii.  2. 
Bread  of  God,  John  vi.  33.     Creator,  Isa.  xliii.  15. 


307 

Creditor,  Luke  vii.  41.  Friend  of  Sinners,  Mat.  xi.  10 

Cyrus,  Isa.  xiv.  1.  Gift  of  God,  2  Cor.  ix.  15. 

David,  Jer.   xxx.  9.   Ezek.  Glory  of  God,  Isa.  xt.  5. 

xxxvii.  24,  25.   Hos.  iii.  5.  Glorious  Lord,Isa.  xxxiii.  21 

Days-man,  Job  ix.  33.  God,  John  i.  1.  Rom.  ix.  5. 
Day  Star,  2  Pet.  i.  19.  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  1  John  v.  20. 

Deliverer,  Rom.  xi.  26.  Gold,  Cant.  v.  11. 

Desire  of  all  Nations.  Hag.  Golden  Altar,  Rev.  viii.  13, 

ii.  7.  Governor,  Matt.  ii.  6. 

Dew,  Hos.  xiv.  5.  Gracious,  1  Pet.  ii.  3. 

Diadem,  Isa.  lxii.  3.  Guide,  Psal.  lxviii.  14. 

Door  of  Sheep,  John  x.  7.  Habitation,  Psal.  xci.  9. 

Eagle,  Deut.  xxxii.  11.  Harmless,  Heb.  vii.  26. 

Elect,  Isa.  xlii.  1.  Head  of  the  Church,  Col: 
Emmanuel,  Isa.  vii.  14.  Mat.       i.  18. 

i.  23.  Heir  of  all  things,  Heb.  i.  2. 

Ensign,  Isa.  xi.  10.  Help,  Psal.  xxxiii.  20.  xl.  17. 

Eternal  Life,  1  John  v.  20.  Heritage,  Isa-  lviii.  14. 

Everlasting  Father,  Isa.  ix.  6  Highest,  Psal.  xviii,13.  Luke 
Express  Image,&x.  Heb.  i.  3.       i.  32. 

Faithful  Witness,  Rev.  i.  5.  High    Priest,    Heb.    iii.    1. 

iii.  14.     xix.  11.  vii.  1. 

Fatted  Calf,  Luke  xv.  23.  Most  High,  Luke  viii.  23. 

Father  of  Eternity,  Isa.  ix.  6.  Holy  One  of  God,  Mark  i.  24. 

Feeder,  Isa.  Ix.  11.  Holy  One  of  Israel,  Isa.  xli. 
Finisher  of  Faith, Heb.  xii.  2.       14. 

Fir-Tree,  Hos,  xiv.  8.  Holy  Child,  Acts  iv.  30. 

First  Begotten,  Rev.  i.  5.  Honey-Comb,  Cant.  iv.  1 1 . 

First  Fruits,  1  Cor.  xv.  23.  Hope,  Acts  xxviii.  20.  1  Tim. 
First  and  Last,  Rev.  ii.  8.  i.  1. 

Flesh,  John  i.  14.  Horn  of  Salvation,  Ps.  xviii. 
Foundation,  Isa.  xxviii.  16.  2. 

Fountain,  Zech.  xiii.  1.  Husband,   Isa.    liv«    5.    Jer, 
Forerunner,  Heb.  ii.  20.  xxxi-  32- 


30S- 


I  Am,   Exod.   iii.   14.  John  Master,  Matt.  viii.  19.  xxiii.  8. 

viii.  58.  Mediator,  1  Tim.  ii.  5. 

Jacob,  Isa.  xli.  8.  xliv.  1,  5.  Melchizedeck,  Heb.  vii.  1. 
Jah,  Psab  lxviii.  4.  Merciful,  Heb.  ii.  17 

Jehovah,  Isa.  xxvi.  4.  lx.  3.  Messenger,  Mai.  ii.  7.  iii.  1. 
Jerusalem,  Cant-  vi.  4.  Messiah,  Dan.  ix.  25.  John 

Jesus,  Matt.  i.  21.    1  Thess.       i.  41. 

i.  10.  Michael,  Dan.  xii.   1.   Rev. 

Image  of  God,  Heb.  i.  3.  xii.  7. 

Immanuel,  Isa.  vii.  14.  Mat.  Mighty  God,  Isa.  ix.  6.  lxiii.  1. 

i.  23.  Minister,  Heb.  viii.  2. 

Immortal,  1  Tim.  i.  17.  Morning  Star,  Rev.  ii.  28. 

Inheritance,  Ezek.  xliv.  28.  Moses,  Acts  iii.  21. 
Invisible,  1  Tim.  i.  17.  Nazarite,  Matt.  i.  23. 

Israel,  Isa.  xliv.  21.   xlix.  3.  Offspring    of    David,    Rev. 
Judah,  Rev.  v.  5.  xxii.  16. 

Judge,  Mic.  v.  1.  Acts  x.  42.  Only-Begotten,  John  i.  14. 
King,  Matt-  xxi-  5-   xxv-  34-  Ointment,  Cant.  i.  3. 
Ladder,  Gem  xxviii.  12.  Pass-Over,  1  Cor.  v.  7. 

Lamb,  John  i.  29.  Rev.  v.  6.  Plant    of    Renown,     Ezek. 
Law-Giver,  Isa.  xxxiii-  22.       xxxiv.  29. 

James  iv.  12.  Potentate,  1  Tim.  vi.  15. 

Leader,  Isa.  Iv.  4.  Precious  Corner-Stone,  Isa. 

Light,  John  i.  9.  viii.  12.  xxviii.  16. 

Life,  John  xiv.  6.  Prince,  Acts  iii.  15. 

Lily  of  the  vallies,  Cant.  ii.  1.  Prophet,  Luke  iv.  24. 
Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  Propitiation,  1  John  ii.  2. 

Rev.  v.  5.  Power  of  God,  1  Cor.  i.  24. 

Living  God,  1  Tim.  iii.  15.      Purifier,  Mai.  iii.  3. 
Living  Bread,  John  vi.  51.      Physician,  Matt.  ix.  12. 
Long-Suffering,  Ex.  xxxiv.  6.  Polished  Shaft,  Isa.  xlix.  2. 
Lord,  Rom.  i.  3.  Rev.  xvii.  14.  Priest,  Heb.  iv.  14.  vii.  26> 
Lovely,  Cant.  v.  16.  Ransom,  1  Tim.  ii.  6. 

Man,Acts xvii.  31.  lTim.ii.  5.  Reaper,  Rev.  xiv 


k 


;-309 


Redeemer,  Isa.  lix.  20. 
Resurrection,  John  xi.  25. 
Refiner,  Mai.  iii.  3. 
Refuge,  Isa.  xxv.  4. 
Righteousness,  Jer.  xxiii.  6. 
Rock,  Dcut.  xxxii.  15.  1  Cor. 

x.  4. 
Rock  of  Offence,  Isa.  viii.  14. 
Rod  and  Staff,  Isa.  xi.  1. 
Root  of  David,  Rev.  xxii.  16. 
Roe  and  Hart,  Cant.  ii.  9. 
Rose  of  Sharon,  Cant.  ii.  1. 
Ruler  in  Israel,  Micah,  v.  2. 
Sacrifice,  Eph.  v.  2. 
Salvation,  Luke  ii.  30. 
Samaritan,  Luke  x.  33. 
Sanctification,  1  Cor.  i.  30. 
Sanctuary,  Isa.  viii.  14. 
Seed  of  Abraham,  Gal.  iii.  29. 
Seed  of  the   Woman,   Gen. 

iii.  15. 
Seed  of  David,  2  Tim.  ii.  8. 
Second  Man,  1  Cor.  xv.  45* 
Servant, Isa.xlii.  1,19.  xliv.2 1 . 
Shepherd,  John  x.  11.  Heb. 

xiii.  20. 
Shield,   Gen.   xv.    1.    Psalm 

xviii.  35. 
Shiloh,  Gen.  xlix.  10. 
Solomon,  Cant.    iii.    7.   viii. 

11,  12. 
Son  of  God,  Matt.  iv.3.  viii.29 
Son  of  Man,  Matt.  viii.  20. 
Sower,  Matt.  xiii.  3. 


Spirit,  1   Cor.  xv.  45.  Heb. 

ix.  14. 
Stone    of  stumbling,    Isaiah 

viii.  14. 
Stone  with  seven  eyes,  Zacb. 

iii.  9. 
Stone  cut  out,  Dan.  ii.  34. 
Stone,  Refused,  Matt.  xxi.  42. 
Strength  of  Israel,    1    Sam. 

xv.  29. 
Strong  God,  Psal.  lxxxix.  9. 

Rev.  xviii.  8. 
Substance,  Heb.  x.  34. 
Sun  of  Righteousness,  Mai. 

iv.  2. 
Sure  Foundation,  Isa.  xxviii 

16. 
Surety,  Keh.  vii.  22. 
Sharp  Sword,  Isa-  xlix.  2. 
Tabernacle,    Heb.   viii.    2 

ix.   11. 
Teacher,  John  iii.  4. 
Temple,  Mark,  xiv.  5,  8. 
Testator,  Heb.  ix.  16,  17. 
Treasure,  Luke  xii.  33- 
Tree  of  Life,  Rev.  ii.  7. 
Tried  Stone,  Isa.  xxviii.  16. 
Truth  John  xiv.  6. 
Vine,  John  xv.  1. 
Wall  of  Fire,  Zech.  ii.  5. 
Way,  Isa-  xxxv.8.  John  xiv. 6. 
Well  of  Living  Water,  Cant. 

iv.  15. 


310 


Wedding  Garment,  Mat.  xxii.  Word  of  God.  Rev.  xix.  13. 

12.  Worthy,  Heb.  iii.  3-  Rev.  v. 

Wisdom  of  God,  1  Cor.  i.  24.       12. 

Witness,  Rev.  i-  5-  iii.  14.       Yesterday,  To-day,  and  For- 
Wonderful.  Isa.  ix-  6.  xxviii.       ever,  Heb.  xiii.  8- 

29. 


A  Collection  of  the  Appellations  given  to  the 
Church  of  God  in  the  Scriptures. 


Adopted  Sons,  Gab  iv.  5. 
Angels,  Luke  xx.  36. 
Assembly  of  Saints,Heb.  x-23 
Believers,  Acts  v.  14. 
Beloved  of  God,  Psalm  lx.  5. 
Blessed,  Psal.  ii.  22.  xxxii.  1. 
Blameless,  Phil.  ii.  15. 
Body  of  Christ,  Eph.  i.  22. 
Branches  of  Righteousness, 

John  xv.  5. 
Brethren,  Rom.  viii.  29. 
Bride,  Rev-  xxi.  2,  9. 
Building  of  God,  1  Cor.  iii.  9. 
Called,  Isa.  lxii.  12- 
Candlestick,  Rev.  i.  12. 
Cedars,  Psal.  xcii.  12. 
Children   of    the    Kingdom, 

Matt.  xiii.  38. 
Christ,  1  Cor.  xii.  12. 
Christians,  Acts  xi.  26. 
Church  of  God,  1  Cor.  i.  12. 
Circumcision,  Phil.  iii.  3. 


City  of  God,  Heb.   xii.  22. 

Rev.  iii.  12. 
Citizens,   Eph.  ii.    19.   Cant. 

i.  5. 
Companions,  Psal.  xlv.  14. 
Complete,  Col.  ii.  10. 
Congregation  of  Saints,  Psab 

cxlix.  1. 
Contrite,  Isa.  lvii.  15. 
Converts,  Isa.  i.  27. 
Corner-Stones,    Psal.   cxliv. 

12—17. 
Daughter  of  the  King,  Psal. 

xlv.  13. 
Dead  in  Christ,  lThes.iv.  16. 
Dearly  Beloved,  Jer.  xii.  7. 
Delights,  Cant.  vii.  6, 
Dew,  Psal.  ex.  3.  Mic.  v.  7. 
Disciples,  Isa.  viii.  16.  Matt. 

v.  1. 
Dove,  Cant.  ii.  14.  v.  2. 
Eagles,  Ps.  ciii.  5.  Isa.  xb  31. 


311 


Elect,  Isa.  xlv.  4.  Matt.  xxiv.  Hidden  ones,  Psal.  IxxXiii.  3. 

22.  Holy,  lCor.  iii.  17.Eph.i.  27 

Election,  Rom.  ix.  11.  v.  7.     House  of  God,  1  Tim.  iii.  15. 
Escaped,  Isa.  xlv.  20.  2  Pet.  Humble,  Psal.  ix.  12.  xxxiv.2 

i.   4.  Husbandry    of  God,   1   Cor. 

Excellent,  Psal.  xvi.  3.  Prov.       iii.  9. 

xii.  26.  Jacob,  Psal.  xiv.  7.  cxlvii.  19. 

Fair,  Cant.  i.  15.  ii.  10.  iv.  10.  Jerusalem,  above,  Gal.  iv.  26 
Faithful,  Eph.  i.  1 .  Jewels  of  the  Lord,  Mai,  3. 17 

Family  of  God,   Eph.  iii.  15.  Image  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  29. 
Fearful,  Isa.  xxxv.  14.  Fig-  Inhabitants  of  Zion,  Isa.  xii.  6 

trees-  Joy  of  the  whole  earth,  Psa. 

First-Fruits,  James  i.  18.  xlviii.  2. 

Flock  of  God,  Acts  xx.  28-       Israel   of  God,   Gal.  vi.    16. 
First-Born,  Heb.  xii.  23.  Justified,  Acts,  xiii.  39. 

Fold  of  Christ,  John  x.  16.      Kings,  Rev.  i.  6.  v.  10. 
Followers  of  God,  Eph.  v.  1.   Kingdom  of  heaven,  Matt. 
Fountain,  Cant.  iv.  12.  xiv.  38. 

Free-men,  1  Cor.  vii.  21,  22.  Lambs,   Isa.    xl.     11.   John, 
Friends  of  God,  James  ii.  23.       xxi.   15. 
Fruitful,  Col.  i.  10.  Lamb's  Wife,  Rev.  xxi.  9. 

Fulness  of  Christ,  Eph.  i.  23.    Light  of  the  world,  Matt,    v 
Garden  inclosed,  Cant.  iv.  12.        14. 

Gathered,  Isa.  lvi.  8.  Lily  among  thorns,  Cant.  ii.  2 

General  Assembly,  Heb.  ii.  Little  ones,  Zech.  xiii.  7. 

22,  23.  Living  Stones,  1  Pet.  ii.  5. 

Generation  of  the  Upright,  Lot  *  of  God's    inheritance, 

Psal.  cxii.  2.  Deut.  xxxii.  9. 

Glory  of  God,  Isa.  xlvi.  1 3.      Love,  or  his  Love,  Cant,  i v.  7 
Glorious,  Psal.  xlvi.  13.  Hos.  Lowly,    Psalm    exxxviii.    6. 

ix.  10.  Prov.  iii.  24. 

Habitation  of  God,  Eph.  ii.  22  Members  of  Christ,  Eph-  v. 
Heirs  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  17.       30- 
Heritage  of  God,  Jer.  xii.  7.  Merciful,  Matt.  v.  7. 


3-12 


Mighty,  Psa.  cxii.  2.  Sister-Spouse,  Cant.  iv.  12. 

Mount  Zion.  Heb.  xii.  22.        Sons  of  God,  Rom.  viii.   14. 

Mourners,  Isa.  lvii.  18.  Spiritual,  Gal.  vi.    1.    1    Pet. 

Needy,  Ps.  ix.  1 8.  Isa.  xxv.  4.       iii.  5. 

Obedient,  1  Pet.  i.  14.  Stars,  Psal.  cxlviii.  3.  Rev. 

Palaces,  Psal.  xlv.  15.  iii.   1. 

Palm  Trees,  Psal.  xcii.  12.     Strangers,  Psal.  xxxix.  12. 

Peaceable,  Gen.   xxxiv-   21.  Temple  of  God,  1  Cor.  iii.  16 

Peculiar  People,  1  Pet-  ii.  9.  Treasure     of    God,     Psalm 

Perfect,  2  Tim.  iii-  17-  cxxxv.  4. 

Pilgrims,  Heb.  xi.  13.  Vessels  of  mercy,  Rom.  ix. 

Pillar  of  Truth,  1  Tim.  iii.  1 5       25. 

Plants,  Psalm,  cxliv.  12.  Vineyard,  Isa.  v.  1. 

Poor,  Matt.  v.  3.  xi.  15.  Virgins,  Jer.  xxxi.  4.  Rev. 

Portion  of  the  Lord,  Dent.       xiv.  4. 

xxxii-  9.  Undefined,  Cant.  v.  12 

Precious,  Psal.  cxvi.  15.  Upright,  Psal.  xi.  7. 

Princes,  1    Sam.  ii.  8.   Psal.  Watchmen,  Isa.  Iii.  8. 

xlv-  16.  Wayfaring  men,  Isa.  xxxv.  8. 

Pure  in  Heart,  Matt.  v.  8.        Wise  men,  1  Cor.  vi.  5. 
Ransomed,  Isa.  xxxv.  10.  Ii.  Woman,  Rev.  xii.  1. 

11.  Worshippers,  Heb.  x.  2. 

Redeemed,  Isa.  Ii.  1 1.  lxii.  12  Worthy  to  walk  with  Christ. 
Sanctified,  1  Cor.  i.  2-  vi.  11.       Rev.  iii.  4. 
Saved   of  the   Lord,  Deut.  Written    in    heaven,     Heb. 

xxxiii.  29.  xii.  23. 

Sheep,  Jfchn  x.  3.  4.  xxi.  1G.  Zealous  of  good  works,    Ti- 
Sincere,  Phil.  i.   10.  Stones,       tus  ii.  14. 

1  Pet.  ii.  5.  ZION,  Psa.  Ixix.  35.  lxxvi.  2 


Date  Due 


•r—*\    *(. 


9  D  flfr 


L 


290     B435H 


363083 


^^vets\ty  libtaf? 


